Picking Up The Pieces
by Clovers-Charm
Summary: Caine has been taken in by Connie and Sam Temple. Now he is a normal kid with not-so-normal powers. It might not have been so bad if he were not partly insane and the darkness was not still lurking in his mind. Caine Sam Brotherly Fic
1. Chapter 1

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Summery: Caine has been taken in by Connie and Sam Temple. Now he is a normal kid with not-so-normal powers. It might not have been so bad if he were not partly insane and the darkness was not still lurking in his mind._**

**Other Comments: I have read all the way up to the new book Plague but this will be kind of after Hunger, so as not to give any spoilers to people. This was originally a oneshot (which you can find if you click on my name and go down titles "Fifteen Years Too Late") but a lot of people liked it so I decided to make it into a proper story.**

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><p><span>Chapter One<span>

"Hungry In The Dark!"

Sam had never meet the Darkness or Gaiaphage or whatever it was calling itself now. He had never truly meet it the way Lana, Drake and Caine had, or even Little Pete, though they were still unsure about him. But that phrase had been repeated so much to him these long two months that it almost felt as if he had meet it himself.

The voice was repeated a few times before Sam finally sat up and rubbed his eyes, wiping away the rest of the sleep. It had become his new alarm clock lately, despite waking him up almost two hours earlier than he wanted to actually be woken but it worked. Over the passed week or so his new roommate had began talking in his sleep, before it only happened every now and then but now it was an actual thing he did every single morning.

After talking to his mother about it, Sam was told to just bare with it for now. They all just hoped that it would stop after a while, somehow, like some of the other habits he had.

Standing up from his bed, Sam pulled on his thin brown slippers and, still rubbing his eyes, walked over to the twin bed beside of his.

The room has only been for one bed, but they had managed to move a few of his things around, move a few things to the main room and squeeze a bed in on the far side from the window, he would not be able to sleep if it was by the window. It was only slightly cramped but neither of the boys minded it, Sam was just glad that he didn't have to share his bed every night (which he sometimes had to do if the nightmares were bad) and the other boy was hardly ever in the room apart from when he was fast asleep.

"Time to wake up" Sam sighed, speaking mostly to himself at that point, he was very tempted to leave him, let him work his way through the nightmares and wake up by himself but the last time he had tried that, the boy in front of him, his brother, had thrown there bookcase right through the window and woken up a lot more people than just Sam and Connie Temple. It was hard trying to keep anyone from calling the police who were just itching to get a few freaks behind bars.

Sam stared down at him, he always had to find the best way to wake him. If the nightmare was not so bad he could shake him, otherwise he would have to call him, other times he would have to stand back and shine his light over his face to avoid any blows that could cripple him.

It did not seem too bad today. He was just talking loudly, almost as if he was awake, and his arms lay by his side while his head rolled from side to side. He was sweating and his brown hair was sticking to his face and neck, it had grown quite long now since he refused to let Connie cut his hair. He had it in his mind she was going to stab him in the back of the neck and he didn't actually think much more of Sam.

"Wakey wakey" Sam said loudly while reaching down.

He lay a gently hand on his shoulder and slowly shook him, he moved slowly so that if Caine did freak out then he would be able to pull back and jump away from him in time. For a moment nothing happened, so he shook him again, then the boys eyes slowly flickered open, the pupils small and filled with terror. After a moment they returned to normal.

"Sam..." he whispered, his voice was raw, almost as if he had not taken a drink in weeks. He spoke his name like he was shocked to find Sam was still there beside him. Like he expected Sam to have give up and left him.

"Morning. Come on, let's get something to eat" Sam smiled calmly.

"Was I having another nightmare?" the boy asked

"Not really" Sam lied and helped him sit up "Come on, let's eat, Caine"

**G*O*N*E**

When Connie woke she didn't waste any time making her way to the kitchen. Her two sons had been with her for more than two months now but she was still frightened that one day she would find Caine doing something awful to Sam. It was mean not to trust him but at least now she really did have her reasons for doubting him.

She had taken Caine in about one month after there children had been rescued from what they called "the FAYZ", she would not have taken him in at all but she found that Mr and Mrs Soren were afraid of him and planned to send him with a few other children to a laboratory to study him like a rat. It was guilt from giving him up in the first place and hearing what they went through in "the FAYZ" that led Connie to make a deal with Mr and Mrs Soren.

Caine would have nothing to do with them and they would give over legal custody without a fight. The people at the lab were not happy but there was nothing they could do to stop them.

Some children were not as lucky. Such as a young girl Sam knew as Dekka, who had made a run for it along with a boy called Bug, away from there parents in hopes of escaping the Lab there parents were just about to send them to, no one knew where they were and so everyone just prayed they were safe. But a Coates kid named Penny was trapped there along with the poor Orc boy and a few others she did not know. Two other girls Sam knew, Brianna and Taylor, were back home with there parents, often popping in casually to say hi and either running or "Bouncing" home to loving parents that missed them.

A few other children, such as a boy nick named Computer Jack, and Hunter, Atrid, Little Pete and some others that Connie could not remember were mostly at homes. All of them were accepted by there parents and in loving homes, even if there homes were no where near as homey as they were before.

In the kitchen she found Sam and Caine, both eating. Neither looked up as she entered. Sam did this naturally because he was so used to having her around but she noticed Caine, he tensed and forced himself not to look at her.

Caine was angry. He hated Connie for giving him up in the first place. He hated his real parents for trying to give him up to the Lab as well as Coates. He hated Sam for always being so nice to him after everything that happened between the two of them. He hated that he would need to go to a new school where the only two people that would actually likely to speak to him freely were Sam and Astrid. If he was_ lucky_! He hated that he could only see his girlfriend, Diana, on the weekend when she was allowed out of Coates and even then, sometimes she would be too busy or he would be... Unwell.

Diana might have been in a Lab as well, but she had easily been able to lie, saying her own powers had vanished because she had not used them in so long and they had no way of testing to see if she was lying or not. Plus they had no idea if powers could disappear or not so they just had to trust her and move on. Even if her father would have willingly give her up.

"Morning boys" Connie said, she went to the toaster. Both boys were having cereal. Small bowls. They were gradually building there stomachs up again.

Some parents had been sick when they saw there children for the first time. They were so skinny, they had hardly any showers or baths, they wore old clothes, they were like tramps on the street only younger and sader. At first no one moved, but then Connie was running towards Sam, arms open. Astrid's parents followed and then a tidel wave of parents running to children.

A few parents, sadly, could not find there children, or could only find a few children, while there siblings were gone.

"Morning" Sam mumbled, he was staring down at the newspaper, he checked it every day for signs of Orc, Penny or Dekka and Bug. No sign yet, he was sure that was good. If they found Dekka or Bug then they would have splashed it over the front pages to calm people down, Penny and Orc were another matter altogether.

Caine was concentrating on his bowl with tense eyes.

"What are you up to today?" Connie asked as she made her own breakfast.

"Dunno" Sam mumbled "Might go see Quinn" for a while the boys found it hard to be friends since they had been apart for so long and each found there own people to befriend in FAYZ but as the time passed and they were getting back into old routines, they were getting together again, because brothers once more "Or some others" He meant Astrid but he didn't like the knowing smile his mum gave him or the jealous scowl Caine gave him.

Connie's eyes slipped to Caine who continued to eat slowly, he looked ready to be sick. There was bucket beside both him and Sam in case they did have some kind of accident.

"Caine, you wanna come?" Sam asked, sensing his mother wanted to know what he was doing but they both knew that she could not ask him.

"Not really but there's nothing better to do" Caine mumbled

"Alright then" Sam nodded

There was an awkward silence as the boys returned to eating and Connie sat down in front of them. Her eyes landed on Caine once more.

She wondered if she would have reacted like some of the other parents had?

When they were told the story a few parents acted out. Zil Sperry's parents still refused to believe his son would so much as make a gang, let alone collect others to help harm people, his older brother even acted out, attacking anyone that accused Zil or hurting a familiar member or starting a fire that killed. Shortly after the whole family became very anti-freak.

When Brianna had told her parents she had been slapped right across the face by her mother, she said things that scared them and they didn't want to hear it so they slapped her to shut her up. Then collapsed into hard tears and it was up to Brianna to comfort the two of them. It was stupid. They were free they shouldn't have to act like adults anymore...

When Penny told her parents they didn't say anything, but that might be part of the reason as to why they sent her away to the Lab instead of caring for her themselves.

Very few accepted the children's story, even after watching them do amazing things. Mostly because that would mean a few kids, especially Coates, would be murders and have killed other children there ages and younger. It would mean that there children had been tortured and that they were freaks and monsters. Or maybe it was just because it would mean believing in things they had grown up knowing were not real.

Connie wondered how she would have acted if she had not known about Sam and Caine since before "the FAYZ".

"Oh, I just remembered" Connie said, she was surprised she had forgotten "I got a call, last night just after you went to bed. They are thinking of reopening the school"

Sam looked up sharply, even Caine's eyes flashed at her before looking down again. Coates had reopened a week ago, none of the teachers there believed the stories (or pretended not to) and opened it as soon as possible. It was half empty but kids were slowly returning after there parents remembered what they did to get sent there.

However, Sam's school had remained closed. They were more compasionate, they may not believe the stories but they certainly believed the children had many loses. So they left it closed and let the children grieve.

Yesterday she got the call, saying they would reopen the school but understood if certain kids needed time. Parents would call in and tell them whether or not they would ne coming back after the weekend.

"Wow" Sam mumbled "Earlier than expected"

"You don't have to go in" Connie warned him

"No, I want to" Sam said "Better than sitting around all day."

"OK then" Connie nodded and her eyes turned, landing on Caine "Caine... Would you like to stay home or start at Sam's school?"

Caine did not answer. His eyes were staring at something outside. He had that expression again...

"Great" Sam sighed, he reached over and touched the back of his hand, shaking it. His voice softer than before as he spoke "Caine... Caine..."

His eyes slowly lowered and locked with Sam's but they were blank. He looked like a scared, lost and confused little boy. For a moment nothing happened, then Caine began to whimper. Just like that.

School was probably not the best place for a boy who was partly insane.

**G*O*N*E**

No one was sure when it had happened. Some point after Caine had been taken by the darkness to feed it, he sort of lost part of his mind. He had a split personality disorder.

Part of him was the same old Caine, he was evil and sick and wanted to be in charge of anyone who was weaker than he was and could charm people into believing whatever he wanted still... But the other was a lost child, afraid of so many things and always needing his older twin to cuddle him and keep him safe from whatever was out there.

Sometimes he changed because he saw something dead on the street. Like a bird, and he felt so bad for it that he just changed and started to ask Sam, like a child, why the bird had to die. He spoke almost as if he blamed himself and Sam had a small suspicion that maybe Caine felt guilty for some of the stuff he did and that he blamed himself for the bird because he was too ashamed to blame himself for the children.

Other times he changed because of the dark. He would wake at night and the lights would go off (they had to keep them on to keep him from screaming) or he would just see a tall, dark, frightening shadow. Then he would switch and start sobbing and crying. Trying to run and asking Sam to use his light to make the dark go away, clinging to his arm.

Or maybe, once, when he was surprised. Quinn once jumped up and slapped him around the head lightly, he was so shocked, he switched and rose his hand, eyes wide, throwing Quinn. Luckily he had thrown him to some rubbish bins that quickly softened his fall. He was a little shocked but he would live. Then Caine had ran home and hid in his room until Sam got back.

And finally, sometimes, he would just turn for no reason at all. Just like in the kitchen. He would be fine one moment and then he would just switch and he would be confused and want Sam to answer his questions but he didn't even know what questions he wanted to ask.

There was always a pattern. He always wanted his older twin. Never wanted Connie his mother, though once when Sam was sleeping around Quinn's and he switched he curled up in her bed just for the company. But the minute Sam was around he clung to him. Or how he would act much younger, frightened and he would forget who most people were. The only people he truly recognised was Connie (sometimes), Sam and Diana (all the time).

No one knew if Caine remembered what happened, he always acted like he didn't but often Sam saw a shadow in his eyes and the way he no longer flinched if Sam put his arm around him, instead he moved close when he thought Sam would not notice.

Everyone knew about it... Once Zil had taken advantage.

He and his older brother had spotted Sam and Caine shopping for some food, it was so sweet to see everything stocked up again. Zane had distracted Sam with a stupid question about what his mother was doing for work now she no longer went up to Coates, while Zil shoved Caine into one of the storage rooms. They locked the door and threw the key across the store. The lights were off and Caine freaked. In seconds he threw the door off and Sam had to take him home, promising to pay for any damages.

What pissed him off the most was that Zil was not punished. Connie reported him to the police but they said it was a harmless prank.

Sam would have give anything to go after Zil and burn his arms off. Let him pull pranks then! But resisted it and settled with Quinn and him pulling there own harmless prank. They didn't do much, just spray painted Zil's house with rude signs and pictures. Now there were camera's up around the house so they could no do it again, but it was still a perfect moment when they saw Mrs Sperry's face as she walked out the house to see there handy work.

Most people did nothing because they were afraid what Caine would do with his powers. Others seemed to do it just in hopes they could get him into trouble and sent away.

That was why Sam had to go everywhere with him now. He didn't always like it. He got his old life back but then he lost it as quickly, but then what could he do? Caine needed... It was as simple as that.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Couples: Mostly based on the book, so a lil CaineXDiana, a lil SamXAstrid, maybe some of the other lesser couples but this story will be focuessed on Sam and Caine brotherly love._**

**Other Comments: Will be using a bit from my oneshot at the very end. read and find out/understand.**

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><p><span>Chapter Two<span>

Saturday, Sam and Caine went out and took a nice walk along the streets of Perdido Beach. Most of the houses were destoryed, a few people moved away and some had just disapeared with no word, whether they moved or even just died was anyones guess. Those who moved were mostly those who had lost someone or someone who was afraid of the freaks. Bette's little brother had moved, they had dug up her body and cremated her so they could take her with them. Then disapeared. A few people were staying with friends while there homes were rebuilt and others were being nasty, keeping people out of the homes that lasted and threatening the police on anyone who dared so much as tread on a bit of grass growing over onto the pavement, they were the ones who were more frightened than others.

They passed Mary and John's house, the two were inside with there parents, just having breakfast. Mary looked a lot better, so did John, they no longer needed to look after the prees. Howard walks passed but looked miserable, he missed Orc. Albert was with his father. If anyone was more proud of there child it was Albert's father. He was amazed at how Albert had kept McDonalds going and then had helped with other things too. At first he did not believe him, but then he heard from others and he walked around, almost showing Albert off to other peoples parents. At least he had the decency to avoid the houses of those grieving for lost children.

Astrid was outside her own house, reading a complicated Science book. Inside Little Pete was with his mother. The baby boy was no longer her responsibility and she looked better because of it, much more beautiful without all that stress. She smiled when she saw Sam and waved but lifted her book up to say she couldn't come over, she was busy. Sam just nodded in reply and smiled back.

"Freak" someone hissed

Sam looked up and scowled. Zane passed, glaring at the two of them darkly as he made his way into his house, the walls had been freshly painted and Zane's father was glaring at Caine and Sam angrily from the doorway, holding it open for his eldest son. Like father like son.

Ahead they saw Edilio with a few of his friends, kicking a ball back and forth whil chewing on small bars of chocolate (the sight almost made Sam want to cry, even after the months they had gotten them back again). Sam waved and Edilio waved back but neither approached each other. It was amazing... In the FAYZ he had been close friends with Edilio and others while he was not very close to Quinn. And now, he was back with Quinn but not very close with Edilio at all.

"Want to get something to eat?" Sam asked Caine after a while when they continued there walk.

"Whatever" Caine shrugged, he never responded much unless he had switched. It was what Sam called it, switching like a light bulb. He had his dark side and his light side, Sam just wasn't sure which was which.

"OK then" Sam led the way. Caine glared after him but followed.

Just as he stepped forward, Taylor appeared, dead in front of him, and he had to jump back, slamming into Caine and knocking him over. Zane laughed loudly and Caine looked ready for murder.

"I have a letter!" Taylor grinned and held it out "From Lana"

Lana had long since returned home. Her parents took her away at night, when no one was around. They kept her safe from all the vultures eager to use her healing ability and were now in hiding from the news and camera's. No one knew much, just that Lana was hiding for her own protection. The only person she stayed in contact with, was Taylor, after she offered to heal anything wrong with Taylor as long as she kept quiet about where she was and became her messanger.

"Thanks" Sam smiled, Lana hardly ever wrote to anyone. It wasn't important though, just told him to help Taylor spread the rumor that she was in Austrailia. Normally meaning someone was close to figuring out where she was "Understood".

"So how ya been, Sam?" Taylor asked, grinning

"Not bad, you?" Sam asked

"Same, same" Taylor grinned and leaned forward, whispering "How's the jerk?" she meant Caine.

"He's... Fine" Sam said slowly, a small smile as he looked back Caine, still staring darkly at Zane and his father.

"Oh I have some news" Taylor grinned "Brianna and I both decided to try and convince our parents to move here! It's fun at my new school, I am pretty popular since I can sneak into rooms and let them in or get cheat answers or stuff but they still think I am a Freak and weird, so we talked to our parents about coming somewhere where we would be accepted"

"That would be great, we have all really missed you two" Sam laughed

"Oh yeah, really" Caine grumbled

Taylor glared at him before turning her eyes back to Sam "I'll tell Brianna you said hello" then she was gone.

"Are we getting something to eat or not?" Caine demanded

"Yes" Sam sighed and rolled his eyes

They walked all the way down to McDonalds, one of the only surviving buildings that sold food. Hell it was one of the few surviving buildings at all! They went inside and looked around the room, mostly empty but there were a few people sitting in corners nibbling on chips and picking out bits of there burgers. It had been cleared up so much that it almost looked as good as new again, no longer like Albert's club.

"What do you want?" Sam asked, pulling out some money Connie had given him.

"Don't care" Caine mumbled, watching a family as they all said grace. What a stupid place to come and say grace.

"Alright then" Sam sighed, he ordered two Big Macs with two milkshakes and took the tray to get a seat.

When they sat down and took there seperate foods, Caine kept his eyes down. Sam let his own eyes wander. He looked mostly out the window at the street. The roads were a lot cleaner now, and it almost looked normal if you didn't look at the houses that were all under construction. The adults walked down with there children and said hello to one another.

"Excuse me..." came a voice, they looked up to see the manager of McDonalds, a blading older man wearing a tight tie and a golden name tag.

"Yes?" Sam blinked

"We were... Hoping you'd just... Take the food and go" he said slowly, as if being very careful.

"What?" Sam said, generally confused

"There are a few... Worried people that would prefer if you ate while you moved" he was trying to say it carefully but Sam knew what he meant. He wanted them to leave because they were Freaks.

Caine scowled, his hand twitched, itching to use his power to throw this man across the room and anyone else that dare ask them to leave. But then he saw the look Sam gave him quickly. Any other day he would have ignored Sam and done what he wanted but lately, he knew it was either stay with Sam or go to the Lab. Making one wrong move could send him away for the rest of his life.

"Um. You want us to leave?" Sam asked

The manager smiled tightly and nodded, saying nothing at all but looking a hell of a lot more relieved.

"OK, we don't want any trouble" Sam stood, collecting his things.

Caine scowled at Sam. He was sick of the way Sam always gave in. But if he argued then Sam would just drag him off like a child and embaress him. So he too collected his own foods and made his way after Sam.

Outside Caine stared down at his food. He was suddenly not very hurngy. But still he didn't want to give up the food, he was too used to the FAYZ were the smallest amount of food was important. So he walked over and set down down in front of a small boy playing in his garden. The boy blinked at him, confused, and Caine turned, walking back over to Sam with only a Milkshake in his hand.

"You feeling OK?" Sam asked, frowning

"Fine" Caine mumbled "Just... Bored... Let's go back" he never called it home. Just said back.

"OK" Sam said, they walked beside one another, eating while they made there way down the street again.

Then, on Sunday they stayed at home. Caine and Sam normally kept themselve busy doing what most of the other kids in FAYZ did. They wrote or drew pictures.

Some kids wrote or doodled anything that would keep them from thinking of the FAYZ while others only thought of the FAYZ, writing about expieriences, painting what they saw and what they remembered that happened. Caine and Sam both wrote (since neither were very good at drawing) about things they regretted and things they were proud of. Connie had both gitten them small red note books which had locks on them, like Diaries.

Both held the books closer than anything else and neither had looked at one anothers books. Though Sam was very curious of what Caine put in his book and vice versa.

Unfortunately you could only write so much like that before you ran out of things to say. Caine sat, staring at the book in front of him with his hand wrapped around the pen.

"What are you writing?" Caine asked eventually.

"Huh?" Sam blinked, not looking up from his own book.

"What are you writing?" Caine asked, trying to peer over.

"Hay! I don't try to read _YOUR_ work, so stay out of mine" Sam scowled "How can you have run out of things. You should be able to fill the whole book with things that you did wrong."

"Nope" Caine smirked and reached over to snatch Sam's book.

"Cut it out!" Sam shouted and shoved his hand hard.

Caine scowled and smirked, using his power to throw his pen so it slapped Sam's face. Sam sat up and grabbed his things, then made his way towards the kitchen to work in peace. Although Caine stood up and followed immediately. They then sat at the table with Caine still trying to peer over his shoulder at his stuff.

"Would you go away!" Sam shouted and hit Caine lightly over the head.

Caine scowled and slapped his hand away hard. The two glared at one another. Then Caine slowly stood up and Sam followed him.

"Don't do anything stupid, Caine" Sam threatened

"Are you threatening me?" Caine smirked, he looked awful, as if he was a alcohol addict getting a sip of a beer for the first time in months.

"No" Sam hissed "I am just warning you not to do anything stupid!"

Caine and Sam stared at each other, Caine smiling coldly as he slowly rose his hand, in a threatening motion, as if daring Sam to make his move before he did. When he didn't Caine took it a step too far and threw Sam back down into his chair. It rocked slightly as he almost fell back but managed to stay leaning forward. Then he jumped back up and stepped around the table, raising his own hand but with no intention to use it.

"Go on, I dare ya" Caine snarled

Sam was shaking angrily. He took a few deep breaths before lowering his hands again. Suddenly he was thrown back into his hair, this time falling right over backwards and shouting in shock.

"Caine! Stop it!" Sam shouted, standing and brushing himself down

"Make me" Caine snickered nastily

"I am NOT going to fight you" Sam said but Caine could see he was loosing his patients.

"Then this will make it a lot easier for me" he threw him down, only with no chair to help him so Sam sprawled on the floor.

Sam jumped up and took a step forward, but he didn't use his powers, instead he used his fists and catch Caine hard in his shoulder. Caine stumbled back and growled holding his hand up, but before he could throw Sam away like trash, Sam jumped and they both fell down to the ground.

"Now quit it!" Sam snapped, pinning Caine's arms above his head and straddeling his hips to keep him down.

Caine struggled and glared up at Sam. The two glared at one another, neither moved for a moment, then Caine slapped his hands away and sat up.

"Get the hell off of me!" Caine shouted

"Are you going to grow up now?" Sam asked

"I said get off!" Caine swiftly held his hands up and Sam was thrown all the way into the wall of the kitchen.

"Caine wait!" Sam shouted as Caine jumped to his feet and ran from the room out the back door of the kitchen, easily climbing over the small fence and dashing down the street.

He stood up and sighed, he couldn't leave Caine, who knew what trouble he could get into. So closing and locking his book he was just about to leave when he saw Caine's book was hanging open on the table. Curiousity hit him hard.

It was just there. He could look over and peak in his book and know everything Caine was glad he did and upset he did. Maybe it would help him understand his new brother better. Maybe it would help the two get along better. Maybe everything could be better if he just took a small look?

Shaking his head he closed Caine's book without looking at it, locking it and placing them both up on the fridge. Sam was not Caine. He was not going to act like him. So instead he turned and dashed out the back door of the kitchen, over the fence and down the street in the direction that Caine had ran. If he hurried he could make up for the stalled time and catch him before he did anything stupid, like threw Zil or Zane down the street for looking at him the wrong way.

He slowed down to a fast walk after a while and looked around. No sign. So he then turned to look for a friendly face to ask.

Soon he found Albert, walking with his mother, bags full of shopping as they made there way back home again.

"Albert! Have you seen Caine?" Sam called, running over.

Albert's mother stiffened, she watched Sam closely. Despite the stories of how Sam and others saved Albert she was still very afraid of the freaks.

"Uh yeah I think. Ran into the shops and brought have a dozen sweats and sodas" Albert blinked, "Then went to the park."

"Thanks" Sam dashed passed

It didn't take him long before he found the park again. He was actually surprised to find Caine was still there, he expected him to have moved on already.

Instead he was just sitting there, on the swing, a bag by his foot and a cat purring around his legs. The cat was smaller, barely older than a kitten, and Sam expected him to kick it, but instead he just reached down and stroked the animal. He was sipping at a drink and looking lost in his own thoughts.

"Caine" Sam said, walking up to him "Time to go home"

"No" Caine scowled, picking the cat up and setting it on his lap, stroking it, hard eyes stuck on the creature but trying to pretend like he didn't care.

"Yes" Sam scowled "It is getting late, you don't want to be out at night"

Caine stood, letting the cat jump from his lap. He turned and began to storm off. The cat quickly followed him.

"Caine!" Sam snapped, he ran up and tried to grab Caine's shoulder.

"Stay away from me!" Caine shouted, shoving him, but his feet caught onto one another and he fell back, landing hard on the cat. He felt a sharp sting but when he sat up and looked behind he saw the cat's head was facing the wrong way and it was still "Cat?" Caine whispered, his mind switching "What's wrong with the cat?"

"Uh... Nothing" Sam said kindly, kneeling beside of him "Just sleeping. Come on, let's get back home. OK?"

"It's getting dark" Caine whispered, eyes wide as he just noticed the sun setting.

"Yeah, so let's go home" Sam helped Caine stand up and wrapped an arm over his shoulders, walking him down away from the park. They left the food and drink by the swing on the ground for someone to pass and eat for themselves, or for the food to rot away on its own.


	3. Chapter 3

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: References to Sexual and Physical abuse (though none has or will happen). Will be some bloody scenes later on (mostly animals). Strong language._**

**Other Comments: This is mostly about Connie and Caine's relationship. How she steps up a bit more as his mother.**

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><p><span>Chapter Three<span>

When they got home Sam and Caine found Connie was waiting for them. Sitting in the large cushioned sofa and staring into space tightly with wide eyes. She had been round a friends house, getting advice about getting a new and better paying job to look after her two boys, and was shocked to come home, finding the kitchen a mess and her two sons gone.

"Where were you two?" she gasped, running and hugging them both. Not noticing when Caine stiffened against her grip but then slowly relaxed again. She seemed so worried that for a moment Sam was confused. He had been out later than this before (normally surfing with Quinn). But then Sam just guessed it was because now he had Caine with him.

"Sorry, we went for a walk" Sam lied, he didn't want Caine in trouble. At least not while he was switched.

Connie spotted Caine, cuddling against Sam with his eyes staring at everything with such interest you would have think he had never seen any of them before, and she realized what had happened. Her features softened as she stared at him. She wanted to say something, to do something... But she couldn't. A mother should not be awkward around her son but it was not something she could control at the moment.

"... Time for bed" Connie sighed, thinking of nothing else to say, she looked at Sam "You'll be starting school again tomorrow?"

"Yeah" Sam nodded, calm as could be, but he was secretly nervous.

"I think Caine should stay home, for his own well being" Connie said quiely.

Sam looked over at Caine. He was sitting down, now, on one of the chairs, playing with his fingers and pouting slightly. He looked so small and cute, curled up in such a tight ball. He wouldn't last ten seconds in a school with angry/strict teachers and bitchy/nasty bullies. Not to mention all the work he would have to do and how much he would have to concentrate.

Normal cocky Caine might be able to do it all... But young confused and lost Caine would have so much trouble.

And that was not the only real problem with Caine. Not only would it be a problem if he switched, but also if he didn't switch! Caine could not let ANYONE order him around and he had the powers to teach anyone who tried a very painful lesson. Either way he was dangerous no matter what kind of Caine he was at the time.

"I agree" Sam nodded quickly

"Alright... Oh I forgot! You'll want something to eat" Connie gasped "I am sorry I have been so busy I almost forgot. What do you want?"

"Nothing" Sam sighed "I'm not hungry"

"Could you ask Caine? You know he only responds to you properly when he is like this" Connie smiled, she seemed calmer now.

"OK" Sam walked over to Caine and kneeled down in front of him. He looked up, startled as if he forgot that Sam was actulally there "What do you want to eat?"

Caine blinked then shook his head, a hand on his stomach, he had eaten all those sweats and drinks so he was no longer hungry.

Sam nodded and called to the kitchen "He's not hungry either. We're gonna head straight up!"

"OK" Connie appeared, she smiled at the two "Night boys. I love you"

"Love you too" Sam said, taking Caine's hand and leading him to the stairs. He didn't say a word to there mum but he did glance over at her and watch before he could no longer see her anymore.

When they got into there room they both changed. Dressing in old clothes that they had once worn as out door clothes and now wore for sleeping in. Then, Sam turned off the lights and climbed into his own bed. Connie was one of the few parents that understood that Caine and Sam needed to go to bed early. Like so many other children of the FAYZ. They had so many months of waking up early because of hunger or going to bed late because of responsibilities or waking up halfway because of nightmares. They all needed bed early and late for a while before they could return to begging to stay up again.

Suddenly, he felt something heavy on the side of the bed and the covers being lifted up, he knew what it was without even looking. Turning around he moved up and let Caine climb into his bed with him. Wrapping there arms around one another they shut there eyes and went to sleep.

This happened a lot lately when Caine had switched. Caine didn't want to be alone. So he climbed into Sam's bed with him and stayed there till morning.

"Hungry in the dark" Caine began to murmer a little before the sun rose. His voice grew steadily louder while he slept and soon he was speaking loud enough to get Sam up.

Sam sighed and sat up, staring down at him. He was tired. He had school but he was still so tired. Lying back down he suddenly wrapped his arms around Caine, ignoring that the boy was thrashing around and held him in a close hug. After a while Sam noticed Caine's cries were dying down and he was no longer struggeling. Instead he nuzzled his neck into Sam's collar bone and mumbled. He soon stopped speaking altogether.

"That's a first" Sam grinned and shut his eyes again.

Connie woke early the next morning and quickly stood. She hurried to the kitchen to make sure her sons were not ripping one another apart.

But she stopped to see that neither of them were in the kitchen. They were ALWAYS in the kitchen. They were always up before she was, anyway. Unless something was wrong? Like they were hurt?

Oh god please, don't say they had gotten into a fight and done something awful to one another!

But as she ran into there room, almost slamming the door against the wall as she burst in, she stopped to find they were both still in bed. Curled up against one another and snoozing soundly. She blinked and then had to resist the urge to giggle or aww at them both. Then she walked over and sat down on the side of the bed, gently.

She reached over and stroked there hand softly before Connie leaned down and kissed Sam's temple. Then she kissed Caine's temple just as softly.

"You two are so adorable when you are together like that" Connie giggled.

Then there was a soft knock on the door.

Standing, Connie turned and made her way towards the door. She opened it and froze. Although Connie had told her sons she had been round a friends house discussion jobs while they had there fight she was not. She lied because she didn't want to worry them or make them anymore upset than they already were. The truth was that Connie was visiting the social worker. And the social worker was back.

Ms Kelton was a young woman, about Connie's age with soft bright sunny blond hair, normally tied into a very short pony tail but today it was hanging low around her chin level. She had sharp amber eyes and pale skin with long nails, pointed features and deathly skinny with a long face and pointed ears. She wore a thin pair of black glasses that hung around her neck by a siver chain. As always she was dressed in a navy blue knee length skirt, small thin blue high heels, a black blazer, a blue tie and a long sleeves white shirt underneath. In her arms was a single folder. On the front it had the words _Caine Soren_.

Ms Kelton had been the woman to help sign over the legal documents that allowed Connie to be Caine's legal guardian again. That would have been the end of it...

Except Caine was an emotionally disturbed freak who had been abandoned by his mother when he was just a baby. Ms Kelton took a interest in his case and was constantly visiting to check on him. Lately she had been trying to find any excuse to take, not just Caine, but Sam as well, away from there mother. It was the reason that Connie was so stressed lately.

"Ms Kelton" Connie gasped "What are you doing here? We don't have a meeting until next week"

"We don't" Ms Kelton agreed quietly, her ruby red lips barely moving "But I am here to talk with Caine, find out how he is doing."

"What?" Connie's eyes widened

"Will that be a problem?" Ms Kelton asked coldly

"No. But. Well... Come in" Connie couldn't say anything without Ms Kelton turning it against her "He's still asleep, please let me go fetch him"

"It is not healthy to be staying in bed so late. For his age you know" Ms Kelton noted, scribbeling something down on a piece of paper on the folder, hidden so Connie couldn't see what it was.

It was ridiculous. Children always slept in! And yet Connie was being brought up on because Caine wasn't awake yet! What made it worse, was that she said Caine's name, but every thing she found wrong with Caine she would simple state that Sam was living the same thing as well. Meaning Sam was being brought up on not being up when any other day he would have been!

Now the worst part would be explaining to the two of them the secret she had been keeping. That there was a chance this woman would take them away if she was not satisfied.

Stepping back into there room she found that Sam was awake, just staring at Caine and breathing softly, waiting for him to wake up so he didn't disturb him when he tried to get up.

"Sam... Please wake Caine..." Connie said loudly "We need to talk"

Sam heard her fear in her voice and immediatly sat up, knocking Caine slightly so his brother moaned and blinked up at him, confused.

"What's going on?" Caine moaned

"I need to talk to you" Connie shut the door and walked over, she gave them no time to wake up and explained "There is someone here. A social worker. She is seeing if I am fit to look after the two of you. Most of the other... special children... Have gotten the same but this one has paid special attention to me. Because of Caine's story" she had no other word to describe it without insulting him in some way or bringing back bad memories "Sam, go to school. Everything will be fine. But Caine, she wants to talk to you... It's Ms Kelton."

Caine had meet Ms Kelton before. When she had asked him about how he would feel living with his mother. He had been rude to her on some questions but other times he used his charm and she seemed to like him. They only actually spoke once so he still felt tense to hear they would be speaking again. The reason he was rude to her was because she got very personal.

"I don't want to talk to her" Caine scowled

"I know," Connie suddenly, and very barely, walked over, she sat down and hugged Caine, stroking the back of his hair "It'll be OK. Just answer honestly"

Caine was shocked. She had never hugged him before. Not like this. Not while he was him and not switched. She hadn't been so gently or motherly, not that it was her fault but still... it was surprise.

"Everything will be OK" Connie sat back and stroked his shocked cheek with her thumb. Then she reached over and put her hand on Sam's shoulder "You have school. So come and get dressed."

"I can stay" Sam said quickly. Eyes flashing to Caine.

"No. We need to show her we are a normal family. Go to school. I'll make sure she stays in line" Connie smiled.

They both stood and dressed, casual but clean clothes and Sam grabbed his already packed bag by his bed.

When they stepped out they saw Ms Kelton was waiting for them, her eyes followed Sam as he left the house, eating a breakfast bar on his way before they went back to Caine. She gave a smile that he did not return.

"Shall we sit in the kitchen then? You can eat while we talk" she said kindly.

"OK" Caine nodded, as they began to walk he forced himself not to look at Connie. He didn't need her. He wasn't a weak baby. He could handle a social worker.

As they sat down, Connie made him some cereal and stood by the side, watching the two of them closely. She was ready to pounce and stop Kelton at any move she made. One half of her was worried about Sam and his first day back while the other half was worried about Caine having to deal with this awful woman.

"So... Caine. Remember. You can tell me ANYTHING, I will keep you safe from anyone who might want to keep you quiet" It made Connie sick. She was talking about her! In front of her!

"Yes" Caine nodded

"My first question is very serious. I need you to think hard and answer honestly" Kelton said, leaning forward "Do you understand?"

"Yes" he repeated, growing furstraited by how slow she spoke, like he was a child.

"Have you, or your brother, ever done things you shouldn't?" she asked and Connie frowned.

"Excuse me?" Caine said, raising an eyebrow

"Have you touched each other in ways you-" Connie cut her off

"How dare you? That is disgusting! They're brother!" Connie shrieked, completely caught off guard and furious.

"Be quiet!" Kalton snapped and Connie's mouth snapped shut. Kalton turned back to Caine "Please, Caine... _HONESTLY _answer the question."

"You really are sick. No we haven't!" Caine snapped, burning red at the idea "He's my brother! And he's a guy! That is just gross!"

"But you sleep in the same bed?" Kalton pressed and Caine blushed slightly from embaressment rather than anger.

"I like being comforted" he shrugged

"... Alright. But let's make sure you know what you shouldn't be doing with a family member" Kalton smiled

"I know what I shouldn't be doing! And I'm not! We don't touch each other. We don't kiss and we don't do ANYTHING sexual! Get those thoughts out right now!" Caine shouted. He felt ill at the idea of Sam or him so much as kissing each others cheeks!

Kalton nodded and smiled again, writing something down before hiding it again "And what about your mother? Does she do anything" Connie's eyes widened but she forced herself to keep quiet. If she interupted this one then Kalton would say she was hiding something. It was exactly what Kalton wanted "Sexually or physically?"

"No and no" Caine said, he was put off his breakfast all of a sudden.

"Never hit you or helped you wash?" Kalton pressed

"NO!" Caine shouted, shaking now. He didn't like this questions and he was finding it hard to remain as himself now. They were wrong and sick!

"Enough" Connie hissed "You're upsetting him"

Kalton was busy writting before she looked up again and smiled, the smile was getting wider and wider each time she asked a question. As if she was learning something really juicy.

"Caine. Keep it together now." she said it in such a way it made Caine feel like she wanted him to switch. Like she would get more out of him if he did "Do you remember what happens when you lose yourself?"

"I don't 'lose myself'" Caine hissed

"Do you remember what happens?" Kalton pressed

"Sometimes" Caine mumbled, glaring at her.

"Only sometimes?" Kalton smile reminded him of a snake "Does that mean you don't know what happens at certain points?"

"... No" Caine admitted

"So for all you know, something could have happened... You could have been hit or touched and you wouldn't even remember" Kalton pressed.

Caine hesitaited. Staring at her. Connie stepped in.

"Stop it! I understand asking him how he has been doing but you are deliberately putting thoughts into his head that are not true! Now get out now!" Connie shouted

"You cannot make me" Kalton said evenly. Suddenly she was being lifted off the ground and thrown into the corridor.

"Caine! No!" Connie shrieked.

Caine had jumped from his seat and was marching towards the door of the kitchen, pure rage in his eyes, teeth gritted together, ready to throw her right out of the house and onto the streets!

But then Connie was on her knees, arms around his waist, pulling him to a stop and screaming his name. She was sobbing and her hair was falling out over her face. She looked up at him and grabbed his wrist, forcing them back down to his side so he couldn't aim them at her or at Kalton.

Kalton had stood and came back into the kitchen, she snatched up her folder and scribbled in it quickly. A small strand of hair caught on her mouth, glasses on her shoulder. Own anger but satisfaction in her eyes. She looked around at Connie and Caine and a small smug like smirk was on her lips as she watched Connie struggle to keep her son under control.

"I think I have everything I need" Kalton hissed "Thank you sooooo much for your time."

Then she was gone. They just heard the front door slam before Connie burst into tears. She wiped them away and looked up. Caine was staring after her, she noticed her had his own tears in his eyes. Only they were more for his confusion. He knew Sam, Sam would never do anything to him, but Kalton had spoken in such a way that he was unsure of himself and it scared him.

"Caine." Connie sniffed, she tugged his hands lightly "Look at me!" she waited until his cold eyes fell on her before she reached up and placed her hand on the side of his face "She is a manipulative bitch! Don't listen to a word she says"

Caine, slowly and unsurely, nodded, wiping his eyes and nose on the back of his hand. He let Connie take him to the bathroom and wash him up.

God knows what Kalton wrote down today.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: Big spoilers for lies and the character Nerezza. I won't actually have anything about the plot or that just the character._**

**Other Comments: ... Don't really have any.**

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><p><span>Chapter Four<span>

Sam had reached the gates of the school before he made a split decision and turned back around and marched home as quickly as he could, since he was almost out of breath from walking to school in the first place. How could Connie expect him to go to school knowing what was happening at home? She had tried to keep it from him and Caine for a reason but it was too late now. He had to be there for them, to help them both.

He didn't see Astrid but she saw him, and was surprised when he turned and began to run home just as he got there. For a moment she considered following or calling after him but then she changed her mind and instead promised to go to his house tomorrow, or after school today. Her first day back, she didn't want to be late or have it off. The sooner they return to normal the better it would be for everyone.

Just as Sam got home he saw the woman, Kelton, was leaving, she looked a little roughed up and Sam knew that it had to have been Caine, Connie wouldn't have attacked anyone and even if she did she wouldn't have done so much to the woman. What made it worse was that the woman didn't look annoyed or angry at being thrown around, in fact she looked quiet cheerful and strode down with her head held high, smirking with a set of folders clutched to her chest like it was a diamond.

Immediately, Sam ran as fast as he could and threw the door open. Inside he found Caine was curled up on the sofa, a large thick blanket wrapped around him with the TV turned on to some pointless cartoon show. But his eyes were unfocussed and he was not paying very much attenion to it, he was in his own world and didn't even look up as Sam shut the door loudly behind him. Even under the blanket he was shaking as if cold and his eyes were very red as if he had been crying a lot, which, by the looks of the water drying on his cheeks, he had.

"Caine?" Sam whispered, stepping towards him.

"Sam" Connie's voice came sharply "Leave him. Why aren't you at school?"

"I couldn't go. What happened?" Sam turned to face her, she was holding a large cup of hot chocolate for Caine with two thick white marshmellows floating inside.

"Nothing" Connie lied.

"Something happeed" Sam said, slightly annoyed at her "Please, tell me"

"You're better off not knowing, Sam" Connie sighed and got down on one knee in front of him, setting the cup down to the side, reaching up and grabbing his shoulders "For now just go back to school. Live your life and stay safe. Don't talk to strangers. Don't accept anything from them and study hard"

"... I'll go back tomorrow. I promise." Sam said quickly

"Sam!" Connie hissed sharply then her features softened "I know you're worried about Caine. But there is another reason I want you to go to school and for him to stay home. It's because he's too dependant on you. Caine will never survive long if he needs you to be by his side. You can't stay together forever. If you want to help Caine you will need to leave him along. At least for a while. Go to school and leave him for a few hours. Then we'll work on some sleep overs. This is what Caine needs!"

"But what if Caine wants me?"

"This is what Caine needs!" she repeated desperately, she looked like she might cry "What he wants is a whole other matter. Please go back to school, for me? And for Caine"

"I'll be late" Sam said but the fight had gone out of him and he was already hiching his bag up on his shoulders.

"That's OK" Connie giggled softly, sniffing and picking her up the cup and standing "Go on back to school."

Sam smiled at her, glanced over at Caine quickly who still had not noticed him, before turning and stepping outside. He took a deep breath and began to jog back to the school again.

By the time he got back everyone was in class. He stepped into the main office and apologised but they let him off without a second thought. Then he was knocking on the classroom and stepping inside.

It was almost empty.

There was Quinn who looked up quickly when Sam walked in, and three others that Sam knew but not personally, and then two formal Coates kids. The teacher stood at the front and smiled when he saw Sam, almost desperate to have some other kids come in. He was holding up a small book and nodded for Sam to take a seat.

"As I was just explaining to everyone else, Sam, we will be joining a few classes together since so few have shown up today. We will mostly be reviewing old things and getting everyone back to scratch" he explained.

"Yes sir" a few people mumbled quietly.

"We'll go to the bigger classroom, just a few doors down" he explained "Everyone gather your things"

Just as Sam sat down he had to stand up again. He grabbed his bag and waited for Quinn to replace a magazine in his own before they began to walk.

Sam lowered his voice and asked in a quiet whisper "Who're the coates kids?"

"Dunno. Just some new students. By the sounds of it there mummies and daddies felt sorry for them and want them to go home now. so they let them come to normal school" Quinn explained, watching the two. They were identical twin girls. They looked so alike you would have sworn there was just a mirror reflecting so it looked like two.

"In here" the teacher called

They all entered a classroom. It was a mix of everyone, mostly older since the younger were probably begging to stay off. Astrid waved when she saw Sam and he quickly took a seat beside of her, Quinn sitting on his other side. The twins sat down in front of them and sat quite closely together, people tried to spread out but the teachers quickly made sure everyone was sitting all near the front. Even with everyone here it didn't make half of what a normal class would be.

"OK, I pressume this is everyone" the teacher nodded "Everyone that is likely to show up."

"Wait!" someone burst into the class room "Sorry I'm late. I'm new and didn't know where to go"

Sam froze and Astrid let out a loud gasp. The girl that ran in the room was so mistakable! She had long black hair and bright green eyes, she was very pretty and had an icey smile. It was Nerezza! The darkness in human form!

No one else seemed to notice. Quinn squinted at her and another kid cocked his head but no one seemed shocked for afraid.

"Hay" sayd the kid with the cocked head "You helped the Prophetess, didn't you?"

"Why yes" she smiled

"Thank you" he bowed his head. He had no idea who she really was. Hardly anyone did!

Sam stared at her with cold eyes. Slowly she meet his gaze and gave a very innocent and calm smile as if nothing had happened between them...

Did anything happen?

Yes Little Pete created her, but whose to say that he didn't just copy a girl called Nerezza? But then she admited to help Orsay "The Prophetess"! But... No... She was the Darkness... She was evil...

"Don't do anything" Astrid suddenly whispered into Sam's ear.

"What?" he hissed

"Just wait, don't do anything" Astrid said quietly "We all know, but the teachers... Well it took a lot to convince them of the FAYZ and we have no way or proving about Nerezza. Plus we don't know if that is really _it_. We should talk to her first"

Sam stared at her in shock, unsure of what to say. Was she really thinking of giving Nerezza a chance after she _KILLED_ Orsay!

Astrid didn't give him another glance, she faced forward, taking down notes as the teachers began to drone on about the type of things they would be doing with the class for the next few weeks until everyone was settled and came back again. While Nerezza turned and walked, she took a seat just behind of Quinn and Sam, when he glanced over his shoulder he saw she was facing the teachers, her eyes as cold as he remembered.

It was too hard to concentrate with Nerezza sitting just behind him, even if she didn't actually do anything.

Finally the bell went and the teachers excused the class for break. Sam deliberately stalled so he could then follow Nerezza from the room.

She didn't stop to talk to anyone, even when a few people wanted to ask her questions about Orsay. She just gave a sad smile and walked away. Quinn was only a few steps behind Sam and Astrid was just a step behind him. Neither said anything, there eyes were stuck on Nerezza in the same way that his were.

The other girl walked until finally she was at a bench just under a tree, she set her things down and turned to face Sam.

"Yes, Sam? Can I help you?" Nerezza asked

"Who are you? What do you want?" Sam demanded

"Oh I think you know the answer to both of those questions, Sam" Nerezza's cold eyes turned and landed on Astrid. The blond girl was watching with wide fear filled eyes, standing a bit away from Sam and Nerezza "Hello again. How's Petey?"

Astrid said nothing, just stared at her and backed away slightly so she and Quinn were standing side by side. Neither wanted to be anywhere near the horrible girl.

"Stay away from him" Astrid whispered, Sam only just heard her but Nerezza seemed fine and nodded calmly.

"Stay away from Perdido Beach!" Sam suddenly snapped angrily. He stepped forward to her and rose a hand, pointing a finger in the middle of her face "If you don't then I'll tell everyone about your little secret and the adults will run you out of town themselves!"

"Go on, go on, Sam" Nerezza smirked "See if anyone believes you. There is an extent to what everyone will believe no matter what they have seen. And even if they do believe you, don't forget. I can hurt people"

"Don't touch any of us!" Quinn snapped quickly and winced when her eyes fell on him. He shrank back and kept his head down.

"Oh I don't mean you. I happen to have my... hooks... in someone else" Nerezza's eyes went back to Sam again.

"You touch Caine and I will-" Sam began in a shout.

"You lot!" someone shouted, they all jumped and looked around "Break is over! Get back to class!" a teacher snapped at them.

For a moment it looked like Nerezza and Sam were going to stay in a constant staring contest. But then Astrid stepped forward, grabbing Sam's arm and tugging, she hissed but he ignored her. Then, before he could do anything more, Quinn was there, grabbing his other arm and together the two pulled him back away from Nerezza and towards the school.

When they were inside they sat in the same seats as before. Nerezza just behind them. He tried to ignore her, but Sam couldn't help but look over his shoulder each time. She ignored him and watched the front, smiling coldly, never answering any questions but her eyes seemed to be paying some attention. No one else noticed her much, Quinn was shivering and kept his eyes forward and Astrid kept her eyes on her book, both tense but neither looked at her.

The rest of the day seemed to pass slowly. Sam kept a close eye on Nerezza all through the lessons and all through lunch.

Nerezza stayed away from him, she had joined the boy who noticed her and the two twins but they had no idea what the three were talking about. Astrid wrote down there names and address in a book so that they could keep an eye on the three kids and stop them from doing anything dangerous that Nerezza might have planted in there heads.

When the final bell went out the teachers requested everyone back tomorrow and let them go. Nerezza waited no time in leaving and by the time Sam walked out the gate she was gone.

"What are we suppose to do now?" Sam growled, storming down the street.

"What can we do, brah?" Quinn said shrugging "She's right. There is only so much people will believe when it comes to the FAYZ."

"But if we leave her she could kill people!" Sam snapped, turning on Quinn and Astrid with a fierce glare.

"We know that. It isn't our fault." Astrid scowled.

"I know. And I am not blaming you. But we can't just sit around!" Sam snapped

"Look. Listen to me!" Astrid stepped forward so she was just in front of him "If we go and attack her we will be the ones to get in trouble. We are not in charge anymore, the adults are back and so they are. Most people do not remember or ever did know who Nerezza secretly was so the chances are most will be on her side since she was with Orsay when she was talking to there parents for them." she sighed deeply "I think the best thing to do is keep an eye on her. The minute she does something wrong we can get proof and alert people. That way the adults can deal with her."

"And how exactly are they going to DEAL with her?" Sam demanded "Or what if she hurts someone before we stop her?"

"I don't have all the answers" Astrid said coldly before turning and walking away.

Sam sighed, he wanted to call after her but he doubted she would come back even if he did. So instead he turned to Quinn.

"Look. If you can. Warn as many people. Be careful for those who might like Nerezza" Sam said slowly "But just warn some people we trust and who trust us?"

"OK, brah" he smiled "I can do that. But I should head home now or mum'll freak."

"See ya tomorrow then" Sam waved as Quinn turned and darted down a alley for a shortcut home.

Sam watched Quinn go before he turned and made his own way home. Nerezza's threat was still thick in his mind...

Did she really still have her hooks in Caine after all this time?

What would she do to him?

... Nothing! She wouldn't do anything because Sam wouldn't let her. Sam would keep her away from Caine if it was the last thing he did.

As he ented his house he looked around, Connie was in the kitchen, making dinner most likely. Caine was in the main room, still wrapped in a blanket staring at the TV but he seemed to be looking more calm now. He sniffed and leaned back, chewing softly on his lower while the TV played on some random animal channel.

After a moment of watching him, sighing, Sam went into the main room and sat down beside of Caine of the sofa, letting his bag dropped down to his feet at the same time.

"Welcome back" Caine mumbled quietly, still chewing on his lower lip.

"Thanks" Sam said, watching Caine closely. The other boy kept his eyes on the screen but they were not really concentrating.

Then, very slowly so as not to startle him, Sam reached over and wrapped his arms around Caine in a hug. He done this all the time, but only when Caine was switched.

"What are you doing?" Caine scowled, and tried to pull away but couldn't.

"Nothing" Sam smiled and then lifted Caine's blanket up "Budge up" he sat beside of him and wrapped the blanket around the two of them. After a moment of fighting, Caine gave in and leaned against him as they watched the TV. It was very warm in the blanket and Sam could feel himself getting hot, but he didn't mind too much.

They stayed like that for the rest of the day, eventually Caine stopped wriggling and backing away from Sam every time he shifted and soon he even drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: Hating and screaming as well as mutant powers being used in this chapter._**

**Other Comments: Thanks for all the lovely reviews, they're what keep me going and I just LOVE reading them :D **

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><p><span>Chapter Five<span>

Sam stayed with Caine for a short few moments longer after he had fallen asleep beside of him, but then his legs began to get stiff, he slipped out from beside of Caine as slowly and carefully as he could, wrapping the blanket around his brother to keep him warm and going to find Connie.

She was just finishing off the dinner in the kitchen, her back was to him and she was humming softly. Sam made an attempt to cough so that she looked up to see him instead of getting a shock. She was surprised when Sam walked in and blinked at him for a few seconds.

"You're home already?" Connie asked eventually, smiling at him.

"Yeah, school ended ages ago" Sam said shrugging "So I came home. Unless you want me to do extra credit" he joked

"I think you're OK" Connie laughed aloud, she then looked at him and smiled that warm and calm smile he loved to see her wear "Oh well... You hungry?" he nodded quickly "What would you like? Anything in particular?"

"Anything!" Sam grinned, starting to feel like everything was back to normal again. Just the two of them living in there home with no fears or worries. "I am starved!"

Connie giggled and began to seperate the food on the large plate into smaller plates before handing one to Sam. He sat down at the table and began to eat. It was mash, beans and some kind of meat, he wasn't sure what, just that it tasted lovely! He hadn't had mash in a long time and he nearly burned his mouth by shovelling it into his mouth without even waiting for it to cool.

"Is Caine hungry?" Connie asked slowly, her mother nature falling back and replaced with fear over her own son again. She was trying not to but sometimes you just couldn't help it. As long as she didn't show it, it should be OK.

"He's sleeping" Sam said through a mouthful of food.

"OK then" Connie put his plate down on the side and went to sit opposite her son with her own helping, slightly larger than her sons. They were still half starved and still needed to be careful of how much they ate otherwise they would be sick.

They ate in silence for a while, Sam eventually finished his small amount of food and sat watching as Connie was halfway through her own meal. He was probably paying too much attention to make her comfortable but Sam wanted to ask her about what happened while Kelton was here, although he wasn't sure he wanted to know after all but he had to try and get it out. Caine had been so shaken and scared. Maybe he was better off not knowing the details of it anyway. Sam was in mixed thoughts...

"So why is Kelton asking Caine all these questions in the first place? I mean, why is she still coming around? Shouldn't she be off with some abusive family" Sam asked instead.

"I don't think she likes me having custody of him" Connie sighed, now playing with her mash slowly. She opened up quickly so Sam had the feeling she wanted to tell him in the first place.

"Why not?" Sam frowned.

"Well... to begin with... I don't think she likes that I took him back in after I had already put him up for adoption. She probably thinks that I have no right to." Connie said slowly, guilt covering her facial features "Another is probably because of his mutation. I don't think she likes any of it and she wants them all to be put in the lab..."

"Even me?" Sam said, shocked, she hadn't asked to interview_ him_, thankfully.

"She's hoping that if she can get Caine for something then she can lump you in too." Connie mumbled then looked up and face Sam with hard eyes "Look, she can't keep parading around forever. If we can keep our cool and stay normal for at least a month, then I can go to the social services and complain about her. Say she is harassing Caine. If she keeps this up then they will have to agree that she is visiting too much and getting too personal too soon."

"Alright then" Sam mumbled, he wasn't happy about her snooping around for another month but if they couldn't do anything about it then he might as well suck it up.

They sat there for a moment longer before Connie went back to her meal. Sam stood, going back to check on Caine who was still sleeping.

Sam sat down on the other end and picked up the controlls, the rest of the night was set up with Sam flicking through the channels. At some point Connie joined him. They tried there best not to disturbe the sleeping Caine, the longer he slept the longer things felt normal, and they watched a film about a dog that thought he was some kind of a super hero when it turned out to be a TV set... Shots or something... Sam let his eyes slip closed and he tried to think of the name...

His eyes snapped open! "Bolt! That was it!"

"... You are such a freak" Caine scowled, staring at him from the seat.

"What?" Sam blinked, he looked around, it was pitch black outside, the only light was from the TV and the small lamp beside of Caine, he was still on the sofa only covered in a nice warm blanket, much like Caine's, Caine sitting at his feet with a cookie in his hand and glass of water beside of him "What time is it?"

"I dunno... Sometime passed midnight?" Caine shrugged, nibbling the cookie.

"Man..." Sam sighed standing and stretching "I can't sleep down here on this sofa... I'm going to bed. You coming with?"

Caine said nothing, he was staring out the window, with a blank expression, his hand holding the cookie was slowly dropping down to his lap. His mouth was hanging open slightly and his head seemed to tilt to one side.

"... Caine?" Sam frowned. 'Is he trying to scare me or something?'

Caine stood up without a word, he dropped his cookie down on the ground, then turned and walked from the room, nearly crushing it as he stepped over it. Sam frowned after him before shaking his head and sighing, twisting his body around slightly and yawning again.

"And he called me the freak..." Sam rolled his eyes, turning to go to his room.

But something caught his eye.

A face.

It was... Nerezza!

Sam froze, he stared at her for a moment, she was waiting outside, just standing there with a smile on her face as she waited calmly. For a moment he didn't realize what she was waiting for. Then he saw Caine slowly strolling from the house towards her, face still blank and mouth still hanging open slightly with wide eyes.

"CAINE!" Sam screamed.

Turning, he tore from house, slamming from the room and darting around right out of the house, shooting forward, he smashed the door on the wall as he ran outside.

"Don't you touch him!" Sam screamed.

Nerezza smirked and reached up, stroking Caine's cheek. Then quickly stepped back as Sam reached them. He grabbed Caine and shook him but the boys face remained emotionless. Sam tried to shake him for a few moments, then slapped his face lightly while calling him. When that still didn't work her turned to face Nerezza who was smirking and watching them.

"What did you do to him?" Sam shouted "Let him go!"

"Just a demonstration" Nerezza shrugged "Just to show I am serious. I have my hooks in him nice and tightly. You ruin my fun and I won't kill him. I'll just really hurt him and make him cry." she sneered nastily "Which, in this state, wouldn't be too hard."

Sam stared in shock as she turned and walked away, she didn't look back and soon he couldn't even see her any longer. Then Sam turned back to find Caine rocking on the spot.

"Caine?" Sam whispered

As if his name was the switch, Caine fell forward and collapsed down onto his knees. Sam quickly caught him and held him for a moment. He looked like he was asleep but his eyes were half open. He mumbled, trying to make words but his lips wouldn't move completely, it was like they gave up halfway through each word. Then he slumped completely against Sam, breathing softly. For a moment Sam though he was just going to say asleep, but then Caine sat up, blinking and moaning weakly, he rubbed his eyes and rocked slightly.

"What's going on?" Caine asked, his eyes widened "Where are we? Why is it so dark?" Caine was shaking, switching just like that.

"Hold on, let's get you back inside" Sam whispered

"Sam? Caine?" Connie called from inside, she was still hafl asleep but woken by the screaming and had stumbled out of bed as quickly as she could while wrapping a night gown around her body.

"We're fine!" Sam called and helped Caine stand up, but someone was coming down the road with a torch.

"It's just a couple of freaks!" they shouted, coming to a stop not too far away. It was Zil's father and his brother, Zane, both glaring down at Caine and Sam.

"What do you freaks think you're doing? Waking the whole town!" Zane snapped, walking over. Zil's father followed, holding a large bat.

"Get away from them!" Connie shouted, running out in her bare feet and stepping in front of Zil's father "You put that bat down right now!"

"Back off" Zil's father snarled, shoving Connie as Zane stepped closer to Caine and Sam.

"HAY!" Sam shouted, standing "Don't shove my mum!"

"You telling my dad what to do? FREAK!" Zane screamed and grabbed for a thin branch on the ground, swinging at Sam.

Sam ducked away and Caine shouted, someone else... Zil! Zil was pinning Caine down on the ground, hands above his head, facing down so he couldn't use his power. Sam shouted and went to help but Zane grabbed his hair and pulled sharply. Connie was struggleing to take the bat away from Zil's father before he did any damage with it.

Suddenly Zil was being lifted into the air and everyone froze. Caine had somehow gotten his hand free, he turned it around and was rising Zil up and up! Caine's face with shaking with rage, eyes wide and teeth grounding together.

"LET MY BROTHER GO!" Zane screamed, more people were coming out.

"Don't touch him!" Sam snapped, if Zane did anything then Zil would fall. He ran passed and grabbed Caine, pulling him to his feet, hissing in his ear "Let him go! Caine put him back on the ground _now_!"

Caine turned to glare at Sam angrily, for terrible moment Sam though he was going to drop Zil. But then, from the corner of his eye, he saw Zil being gently lowered back onto his feet, visible shaken but otherwise OK. Sam didn't dare close eye contact with Caine as he grabbed his arm and began to tug him towards the doors.

"Let's get back inside" Sam said.

Connie stepped up in front of them, protecting from any blows Zil's father planned to throw. Zane was clinging to Zil, screaming as many swear words as he could at Caine.

Other families now stepping out and staring, a few confused, the rest glaring and picking up stones to throw at Caine, even those with mutant children of there own.

Caine didn't take his eyes off Sam and vice versa. They walked all the way to the door before a stone flew and smacked Caine's face, he stumbled back and his eyes flew open, the rage back again, but they stuck on Sam's face. As if he was waiting for Sam to give the OK for him attacking people.

Soon Connie was slamming the door and collapsing to the door, gasping for breath and trying to block out the screams for outside. They were still throwing things at the house, Zane's voice could be heard, swearing over all others. He was calling Caine every name under the moon, a few people were copying him. All angry that Caine had dared use his power to threaten Zil even slightly.

"Are you OK?" Sam asked Caine, still staring at one another.

"He deserved it!" Caine snarled, he shoved Sam so hard he fell back into the wall "You know it too! He deserved it and more!"

"I know!" Sam screamed in Caine's face, silencing him "THEY ALL DESERVE MORE! But you know who's gonna be punished if we are the ones to give them more? US! We are the ones to be attacked as you have CLEARLY seen! You are such an idiot!"

Caine's whole face went blank, before Sam could react he was being thrown into the kitchen, Caine following to throw him against the table.

"BOYS! NO!" Connie sobbed, racing after them.

Caine was throwing Sam against the wall, dragging him over the table, smacking him into the shelves and throwing down into the sink. For a moment it looked like he was going to kill him, even when Connie tried to get close Caine threw her back. Then Sam managed to get his own hand slowly raising up, he sent light shooting until it caught onto Caine's shoulder, he had a cut from the stone that hit his head and blood was blinding his eye, so he didn't see it until it was too late.

Caine screamed in pain and fell back, clutching his shoulder and and howling in agony. Sam dropped down onto the floor and gave him own shout of pain.

Connie sobbed from the door.

Caine howled by the fridge.

Sam coughed from the floor.

Everyone else cursed from outside...

**000**

The next day Sam stayed off of school, he stayed in his own bed with his arms and legs mostly bandaged, no major injuries, just a few bruises that were currently being covered in packs of ice to keep them from swelling up. He was lucky he didn't have any broken bones from the way Caine had thrown him up and over the room like a stuffed toy. Though his chest hurt like crazy and he was constantly coughing and taking in deep breathes, he would heal and soon he would be back to norml again.

Caine was in Connie's room, lying on her large double bed, spread out in the middle, since he was refusing to be anywhere near Sam at the moment. His own injured shoulder was burning hot, turning a bright red and pink colour, blistering and stinging, but with the right care it shouldn't be too damaged. He was screaming at anyone that tried to come in to see him, even when they brought food and drink, and spent most of his time trying (and failing) not to cry like a baby as he lay there remembering what he did last night and why he did it. Sometimes he thought the FAYZ was easier than this.

And then there was Connie, fussing over Sam and only once or twice trying to get into Caine's room. She was completely fine, no bruises or injuries at all on her body. She was kept busy all day trying to feed her sons and get them back to full health. Or mostly Sam since she was too terrified to step into Caine's room for a moment longer than she had to. She felt bad that she was feeling this way but at the same time she just didn't care anymore...

Then one night she made up her mind.

The next morning she was stepping into Sam's room with a tray of toast and milk, walking over she sat down on the bed just beside of Sam, watched him drink the glass of milk quickly and lay back. Connie helped him set the glass to the side and offered him some toast which he refused for the moment. Then she spoke. The sooner she say it the sooner it is over and done with. Better get it out then stall and soften the blow.

"Sam... I don't think I can look after Caine any more..." She didn't give him a chance to so much as give her that shocked look in his face, instead Connie took a deep breath and said quickly "I'm going to put him back up for adoption."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: ._**

**Other Comments: **

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><p><span>Chapter Six<span>

Finally, about two days later, Sam came out of his room. He had refused to talk to Connie since she had told him her plans, saying he needed time to think and wanted to be alone, she respected that. Since then Connie dropped food off and left him alone, she did the same with Caine and she slept on the sofa since he was taking up her bed. Though she hoped that he knew that she was not asking him for any kind of permission or anything, and she had made up her mind already, she was just letting him know so he would be prepared.

But after two days Sam finally came out, he made the choice without really thinkabout it. He climbed from his bed, his bruises had long since stopped aching to the point of being unable to move, and he dressed, covered the remainder of his slowly yellowing bruises, came out and went down the stairs into the kitchen. He sat down at the breakfast table and didn't say anything. Then finally he turned to face her as she was dishing up some bacon onto his plate. She hadn't said anything to him, just smiled and waved as she began to make his break fast. Too guilty to talk.

"Have you told him?" Connie looked up and frowned at him, not understand who he meant at first "Caine. Have you told Caine?"

"Well. No. Not yet" Connie said after a moment, sipping at her coffee and smiling stiffly at him "I... I'm waiting for the right time."

"When is the right time?" Sam demanded, suddenly hot an angry. "When you're packing him up and sending him off?"

Connie looked completely taken aback, as if she expected Sam to be over joyed that she was throwing his brother out... again! She didn't understand how close the two had gotten since Caine came back. Sure they had there fights, but Sam felt like his older brother (techniquely he was even if they were twins) and that he needed to protect his younger brother. Caine needed him, much more than he would admit but needed him none the less.

"Look, Sam, I don't think you realize how hard this will be for me..." Connie whispered, trying to appeal to the side of Sam that looked after his mother. The side that had done so much for her. The side that would feel pity for her. But she couldn't find it, not now.

"Oh! Poor you!" Sam shouted.

He stood up, quickly, knocking over his chair. He ignored it and stormed from the room as quickly and loudly as he could, making sure to slam any open doors as he walked through them. Connie didn't bother to chase him, she knew there was nothing she could say, Sam would understand later on. She hoped. Maybe she was being a bit hard on him, but he really _didn't _understand. Caine was a lot of work, plus he wasn't going anywhere no matter how hard she tried. And if Caine went down and was sent to the lab by the social worker, then Sam would be taken with him! Connie loved Caine, he was her son. But she couldn't control herself if she admitted she loved Sam more. If she lost him, all because Caine was too stubborn... She wasn't sure what she would do.

Walking up towards Caine and his room, he hesitaited just before reaching the handle for a moment before biting down on his lower lip. What would he do inside? Sit on his bed and sulk? Throw things around like a kid in a tantrum? Mourn through the window like she was the one that locked him in there? And after that? Go down and apologise to her for being so mean, despite him knowing that for once she was in the wrong!

In the end he took a breath and spun around to his mothers bedroom where Caine actually was. He took another, deeper, breath and held it before stepping inside and walking over to the bed. He moved quickly so that Caine could not even get the breath in to scream at him to get out before he was beside of him.

"Get out!" Caine yelled eventually, his voice sounded worn out, like he had been screaming none stop for hours and there were hot tears streaming down his cheeks.

"I'm sorry." Sam whispered, sitting beside of him and staring at his shoulder. His shirt had been stuck to his wound and they had to cut it apart to get it off before wrapping it up in a white bandage "Does it hurt that bad?"

"Hurt? Oh no! It burns!" Caine shrieked "I hate you! I hate you and I hope you die!"

He went to raise his hand, palm out to throw Sam around again, but he forgot his injury and used his bad shoulder to rise. His arm then instantly began to sting painfully again and he fell back on the bed. He threw his head back so hard his head knocked against the head of the bed and made a defening bang.

"Easy!" Sam said quickly, slipping an extra pillow behind his head for protection "You OK?"

Caine sniffed with a mixture of anger and misery, he reached and used used his good arm to wipe away the tears before he stared up at Sam and tried to hold a glare "What do you care? Why are you so nice?" he whispered weakly, like a sad and lonely child. He paused and then suddenly screamed "I hate you!"

"I know, and I think I hate you too but I also love you. You are my brother after all." Sam grinned, trying to ease the tension. Lying a hand on Caine's burnt shoulder gently, so he was barely actually touching it at all "I really am sorry about this, it was the only wat to stop you from throwing me around the kitchen. Otherwise I'd be the one laying here with a broken bone or concussion or something."

"Whatever... I guess I'm sorry too" Caine whispered after a while, but Sam could see he didn't really mean it at the moment. He was just saying it so that Sam would not leave him. Good enough. Sam watched as his eyes closed and he croaked "God it hurts."

"Sorry" Sam grinned again.

"Is she mad?" Caine asked eventually when they had there small moment of silence.

"Not really" Sam said slowly, he knew he was talking about Connie, and he didn't want to let anything slip in case it just made Caine angry again. But he wouldn't lie either... So the best answer for that would be... "...More shaken."

"Good!" Caine said nastily with a sneer.

"That was mean. Even for you." Sam scowled, there small moment was gone as quickly as it came.

"Not really, but whatever." Caine snorted and looked away, wiping away a few tears from his face and sniffing but he wasn't the least bit guilty about what he said. Those tears were purely for the aching in his shoulder. He wet his lips and turned to face Sam again, blinking away a few more tears that gathered in front of his eyes.

"Sam... When Kelton came, she asked me some things. And I knew they weren't true, but then she pointed something out... And I'm kind of scared" Caine whispered, not sounding at all like himself, sounding more like when he was switched but by the looks in his eyes he was still the old Caine... Just afraid. "Sam we don't do things we shouldn't... do we?"

"What do you mean?" Sam frowned, Caine bit his lip and thought from a moment of how to explain it further without actually saying it, when Sam realized what he meant "No of course not! Caine don't listen to her! She just wants to get us both into a lab, so she's lying."

"I know, but I just had to be sure" Caine nodded "What happened last night? One minute I'm talking to you, the next I'm outside and shaken up." he paused "Did I switch?"

Sam hesitaited for a momemnt, considering how to tell him, but then he simply smiled calmly and nodded "Yeah. You switched."

It was easier than explaining the truth. Caine didn't know about Nerezza (He'd never meet her or knew that she was the Darkness with a form) and it would be better if he didn't know that the darkness was still out there with his hooks in him. It would just make things so much worse than they needed to be, he would warn him about Nerezza only when he needed to. Caine may still have nightmares, but as long as he though the darkness was dead he was happy. Lying down beside of him, Sam stared up at the ceiling and they lay there in silence.

"Mum... She's upset... Can you please... Just show her you can be OK" Sam whispered "I don't want to see you in a lab."

"She wouldn't dare! She's too nice anyway." Caine laughed nastily. Then he hesitaited when Sam said nothing and looked away form him. He rolled onto his good side so he was facing Sam and frowned "What do you know?"

"Nothing" Sam lied, he faced him and quickly changed the subject "Ever been on holiday?"

"Once. Never again." Caine sighed "My parents took me to see my Nan." he used a lot of quoting finger throughout that sentence "She hated me. Never wanted to see me again."

"Well have you ever been on holiay... just on holiday?" Sam asked "Not visiting family just... You know..."

"Nope." Caine shrugged then winced and began to tear up again as his shoulder began to ache and sting at the same time. He felt a burst of anger towards Sam, it was his fault afterwards, but he pushed it back and away. If he ever really blamed Sam for his shoulder, Sam would just point out the way Caine had been tossing him around left and right.

"How about I ask mum if we can?" Sam suggested.

Caine blinked at him "What?"

"Holiday. Then you can prove to mum how... good you can be." Sam grinned, sitting up, slowly warming to the idea. "It's perfect!"

Caine stared at him for a moment before giving a small smile. It wasn't like easier, it wasn't nasty or sarcastic, but a generally warm smile "That'd be nice..."

Sam grinned and lay back down again. He said he would ask her later. For now, they would lay beside each other and drift off to sleep. The only time Sam really paid any attention was when Caine whimpered over his burning shoulder, but he did notice that he was not crying as much since Sam came into the room. No matter how many times he told him he hated him, Sam knew, Caine needed his twin brother... His other half.

Many people believed that twins, no matter what kind, were once one. That they were seperated and they were better of together because then they were whole. Sam never really believed that (hell he still didn't) but sometimes there was just never anything else to think about.

After a long time, Sam felt his eyes begin to drift close. He was hungry and thirsty but he didn't get something to eat, not wanting to leave Caine's side, so he didn't know how long he had been in that room. Caine was telling him the story for some random prattle, he was just babbling. He spoke to himself when Sam wasn't here because it was all he could do, so it didn't really matter if Sam was paying attention or not.

He wasn't sure when, but at some point, Connie came in with one tray. It had two large plates on and two drinks that she set to the side and left without a word, she did not even look at either of them.

"Sure she ain't mad?" Caine snickered

"Positive" Sam sighed, reaching over and handing him his plate.

When they were done they lay back down and stayed there for the day. At some point they drifted off to sleep and woke to bowls of cereal beside of them, the plates and glasses gone.

"I'm going to talk to her now" Sam said, finishing off his bowl and standing up.

"Have fun" Caine smirked and lay back in the bed, stirring his food but not eating it. He kept a cool face but the way he fidgeted showed he was uncomfortable.

Sam left the room and went down the steps, Connie was in the main room, staring at the blank TV screen with her laptop sitting on her lap, slowly loading up to the main page.

"Mum?" Sam said slowly, entering the room.

Connie looked up sharply, her eyes were slightly pink to show she had been crying and a pang of guilt shot through his body but he pushed it back and gave her a small tight smile.

"Sorry, I was just wondering" he stepped forward "What if we could prove to you that Caine can behave?"

"Um... I suppose but... Sam... Please, you are making it so much-" Connie began, already tearing up again and reaching for the tissues.

"What if we go on Holiday?" Sam said quickly, smiling stiffly as he stepped forward, he held his hands out and stood beside of her "Caine promises to be good-"

"Did you tell him?" she almost screamed and fear covered her face.

"No! No!" Sam said quickly "No I just said maybe he should be nice and the best way to prove he could be OK would be a place were there would be no stress. Like a holiday." At first she didn't look like she would agree, but then she saw the almost desperate look on Sam's pleading face.

"... You're right" Connie smiled "It will help us all. Even me. We're stressed and need a break" she stood and set her laptop to the side. She walked over and hugged him tightly "I've been a bit of a witch about Caine lately, even though it was my choice to bring him back in the first place."

"It's not your fault. The social worker is stressing you out, and Caine is a bit of a handful." Sam shrugged, hugging her back.

"I think a holiday is a great idea" Connie smiled "I'll see how much we have and then we'll talk about it together."

"Everyone?" Sam rose an eyebrow, meaning Caine as well.

"Everyone" Connie smiled, nodding.

Sam smiled again, naturally now, and leaned into her embrace. He wished everything could be as easy as it was now. But things would never be easy ever again. Things stopped being easy the moment the FAYZ began.

That night Sam told Caine about his conversation and got Caine to promise several times that he would behave. Even then, each time, he followed his eyes with a small smirk playing on his lips.

"I am serious about this, unless you want to be sent away then I suggest you be good." Sam scowled.

"Puh-lease. No matter what she threatenes, she'd never do it" Caine smirked "She doesn't have the guts."

"Caine..." Sam growled but it was no use.

Caine shrugged and winced, tears filling his eyes again. He hadn't cried as much since Sam came to see him again. He would never admit it, but Sam figured he was mostly crying because he was alone, scared and missed Sam's company.

"Fine, for this one holiday I will behave myself" Caine smirked.

"Thanks" Sam smiled and drifted off to sleep, lying on his side and facing Caine.

The next day Connie came and checked Caine's shoulder. Sometimes it was good to have a nurse around the house with two very distructive boys. The shoulder was healing nicely and she was very gentle with him, so in return he did not call her any names or push her away or make any sarcastic and nasty comments. He even said thank you when she was done, it was stiff and he half sneered but it was good enough. Then she sat down and asked if Sam would leave them.

"Why?" Sam blinked

"I just want to have a few words with him" Connie said seriously.

"... OK" Sam looked nervous but stood and left the room, he then quickly pressed his ear and tried to listen in on them all but the wooden surface was too thick and they spoke too quietly.

"Sam told you we might be going on holiday" Connie whispered, not looking at him.

"Yeah" Caine mumbled, not looking at her. It was so awkward when they were trying to be cyville with one another.

"I need you to show me you can behave." Connie said, "I need you to show me that we can get along. Otherwise I don't know how long I can keep this up."

Caine said nothing. Just watched her. He was feeling nervous. Did she mean she was going to send him away? No. She wouldn't do that. But Sam kept saying something, and Connie looked so serious at the moment.

"So, I am asking you to please be good. And maybe we can be a real family." Connie looked up and smiled at Caine, she reached over and playing with the fringe part of his hair "OK? Wouldn't that be nice?"

"Whatever" Caine said, shrugging with his good shoulder like he couldn't care less.

"Thank you" Connie leaned over and kissed his forehead gently.

Connie stood and went to the door. Sam was waiting by the wall, twitching as if ready to run into the room at any moment. He relaxed when he saw Connie walking out, unharmed.

"Everything OK now?" Sam asked.

"Of course" Connie laughed and leaned over to be face level with him "We're going on holiday!"


	7. Chapter 7

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: Blood!_**

**Other Comments: This chapter was a lot of fun to do! Thanks for the reviews (though I only got like, ONE! :'( )**

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><p><span>Chapter Seven<span>

They packed there bags as soon as Caine said he was ready. Sam barely had time to let everyone know he was going, so he went to visit them outside of school. Astrid first, of course.

"Hi" Sam smiled walking up to her as she made her way home.

"Oh Sam, I was about to come over. You haven't been in school lately." Astrid said setting her bag down on the bench so she could give him a hug.

"Yeah sorry. Had some trouble." he tried not to say it was Caine causing the trouble. Astrid never hid that she felt that keeping Caine around would just get Sam and his mother into a lot of trouble that they didn't need. The fact that she was right was beside the point.

"Are you OK?" Astrid asked, looking him up and down for wounds.

"Fine" Sam laughed uneasily.

"That's good." Astrid smiled.

"We're going on holiday" Sam smiled "Mums taking Caine and me."

"That's great. I'd like to go on holiday soon. It'll help to calm our nerves" Astrid said while they walked, she watched him closely before asking "Do you want me to keep an eye on Nerezza?"

"Actually yeah." Sam hadn't thought about her much but now Astrid mentioned her he realized that he did need someone around to keep an eye on her. "Oh and... if you see Caine around... Don't... tell him." Sam said slowly.

"Don't tell Caine about Nerezza?" Astrid frowned, she obviously wanted to ask why but didn't want to come across as too nosey.

"Yeah. It'll just confuse him." Sam shrugged.

"If you're sure. I'll stay quiet, not that he talks to me much anyway. He doesn't talk to anyone but you and Diana now days." Astrid said as they came to a stop outside her house.

"Thanks" Sam grinned and leaned forward, kissing her gently "I gotta go. Need to talk to Quinn, I will see you after the holiday. I'll call." Sam promised.

Astrid kissed him back and waved as he began to jog off. She continued to wave to him until he was completely out of sight. Then she turned and continued to walk, focusing so hard on the walk that she only realized someone was following her when the were right behind of her, there breath on her neck and there hand reaching for her shoulder.

Jumping, Astrid spun on the spot and took three quick steps back. Her eyes narrowed as she saw it was Nerezza.

"What do you want?" Astrid hissed.

"Don't worry, Astrid the Genius, I'm not here for you." Nerezza snarled, her eyes were frightening as they glared at Astrid.

"Then what do you want?" Astrid demanded.

"To give some advice" Nerezza said coldly.

"What kind of advice?" Astrid frowned.

"Get Pete. Get him and get out of here." Nerezza said darkly then smiled coldly "Something big is coming and you should both be gone before it gets here. Or at least Little Pete should and he can't go without help. So you will just have to go with."

"Why should I trust you?" Astrid growled, taking a step back.

"You really shouldn't, but what other choice do you have? If you stay then you will be caught and so will Pete." Nerezza shrugged.

"Caught? What do you mean caught? And why would you care anyway?" Astrid demanded.

"I don't care." she turned around and began to walk away "But for my plans to work then Pete cannot go to the lab." and then she rounded a corner.

Angrily, Astrid picked up her feet and went to follow, but as she rounded the corner she stopped. Nerezza was gone.

...

It did not take Sam long before he found Quinn down at the beach on his board in the middle of the water. Swimming out he climbed onto the board so they were facing one another.

"What? No surf today?" Sam asked.

"Huh?" Quinn blinked.

"You're just sitting here. Floating." Sam explained.

"Oh. I was just thinking" Quinn leaned back and stared up at the sky.

Sam waited a few moments for him to go on before he leaned forward "About?"

"The FAYZ" Quinn looked at him "I just would have thought that things would have felt different. But it feels the same."

"I know what you mean." Sam nodded then shrugged "Maybe we just need more time."

"I doubt it" Quinn shrugged then focused on him "What you doing here anyway?"

"Came to say goodbye. I'm going on holiday." Sam explained.

Quinn blinked at him "How long?"

"I dunno. Maybe a week. What's wrong?" Sam asked, noting the sudden worry wash over Quinn's facial features.

"Nothing." Quinn shrugged, looking uncomfortable "It's just... I mean... Is it safe? We don't know what's going on. And now that Nerezza girls back. I just mean to say, is this really the best time to be going away for a week and leaving everyone here? Not to mention you're going with Caine. You and Caine are like the two strongest of us all!"

"Except for Little Pete" Sam noted, feeling as uncomfortable as Quinn now.

"Yeah but he doesn't count, cause he can't use his powers unless he's like really upset. He's pretty much useless unless you take your game-boy from him and even then he might just hurt whoever got the game-boy." Quinn explained.

"OK. Maybe it isn't the smartest thing to do! Or the best time to do it! But you can't expect me to give up my life to protect everyone! The adults are back, I can be a kid again. So that means I can go on holiday and have fun for once. And it's for Caine too. You know what he's like, maybe if we relieve some stress it will help him. He'll like..." Sam paused, he didn't want to say fixed in cause that made it sound like he was saying Caine was broken "... He'll get better."

"You're doing this for Caine?" Quinn scowled, it was clear he disliked Caine. If possible he hated him more after he had been thrown into a bunch of bin bags in an alley. He didn't like being made a fool out of.

"No. Not completely. Look! Caine needs this! But so do I!" Sam shouted "I'm stressed too. I need a break. I need a rest. And I am going on holiday! So quit making me feel back about it!"

Quinn looked taken a back. He looked down guiltily and nodded quickly "Yeah. Sorry brah. I mean, I know you're stressed. You need to go."

"..." Sam stared down at his hands as they rested on the board. He bit down on his lower lip before he sighed and swung his leg back over the board "I better get back."

Jumping from the boat, Sam slipped into the water and swam back to the shore. Quinn watched him go, saying nothing, nor moving after him. When Sam reached the shore he climbed up onto his feet and walked along the sand, picking up his shirt and trousers that he had stripped before going in the water in the first place. He looked back and gave a half hearted wave before heading home.

Back at the home, Caine had called Diana and was talking to her over the phone. They spend hours catching up to one another, they seem to get on even better lately. Probably because Caine wasn't trying to take over and kill Sam.

"How are things back at Coates?" Caine asked, lying back on his bed.

"You really asking?" Diana laughed "It's awful! Boring! And those stupid doctors keep coming to see if any ones noticed me 'using strange powers'."

"If they get too much let me know" Caine scowled, seriously.

"Oh yeah. Watch out or my boyfriend'll get ya" Diana snickered. She liked being over the phone, it meant Caine couldn't see her smile when he said that. Didn't want him think she was going soft!

"Yeah, well, just so you know." Caine nodded "Temple's driving me up the wall though."

"Which one?"

"Both!"

"I bet you're over exaggerating things" Diana said "They were kind enough to save you from the lab..." she went quiet and whispered "You think Penny's OK?"

"Who knows" Caine said, not really caring.

"Is there anyone you care about?" snappish now.

"Of course." Caine smirked and added in his usual charming way "You."

"Well I have to go." Diana growled.

"OK. Look, after I've been on Holiday, I'll come around to Coates and take you out for the day." Caine promised "Just you and me. Yeah?"

"... Whatever" Diana sighed "Don't be late." And she hung up without a goodbye.

Caine grinned and set the phone down, he took a breath before sitting up and reaching for his readily packed bag that was sitting on the floor beside of him. He then walked down the stairs and meet with Sam by the door.

"Mums waiting for us outside." Sam explained "She hired a taxi. You ready?"

"Of course" Caine shrugged.

They walked from there home, pushed there bags in the trunk and climbed in the, Sam in the middle, his mother and brother either side of him. He wasn't sure where they were going, just that it would be a long drive... At one point, Connie wished she had her camera in hand, so that she could take a picture of Sam and Caine cuddled up to one another as they drifted off to sleep in the car.

Over the next few days everyone seemed at peace at Perdido Beach. Mary and John visited the day care just to say hi to a few kids that grew attached to them, but they went back to school and spent most of there time doing anything that they wanted to do, with only the odd one or two jobs that there parents gave them around the house.

Astrid took care of Little Pete only on the rare occasion. Her parents were afraid to let there son out of there sight, they even barely let Astrid go out alone these days. She tried to ignore the warning Nerezza gave her but it was always in the back of her mind. She should have told Sam but she hadn't seen him afterwards, and what good would it have done? What could Sam have done? Nothing. That's what.

Edilio played with his friends and went to school, he forced himself to go about life as normal. But as the world became normal and his parents grew to fear the freaks he tended to avoid them himself. None of his friends were mutants. His parents were against mutants. Edilio wouldn't become like Zil, he knew what Sam and many others had done for everyone, but he couldn't help but think dark thoughts about them.

Meanwhile Zil and Zane were openly wandering the streets with there own friends, causing trouble for anyone they could. There parents had been called constantly but, if anything, they encouraged there sons to take action and hurt them. Zane would be seen shoving down a small girl who could make pictures move on the paper they were on. She cried but Zil just kicked her shin until her older brother came and punched Zil. Then he and Zane began to fight and soon the police were involved.

The police could show no hatred towards the mutants. So they were forced to punish Zil and Zane while letting the boy, Jamie, and his sister, Ellie, go home.

And of course. There was Nerezza. No one saw her around much, and when they did she was normally on her own or watching someone, mostly freaks, with a sly smirk across her lips.

Then one day, no one could find her.

...

The lab was large and not too far away from Coates. It looked like a big white business building, it had one elevator that went down underground where all the cells were kept. It used to be full of animals, but now it was full of mutant freaks. Well, not full, there were not enough but there were plenty to keep everyone busy. They were only allowed to do certain things to each freak, with the parents permission.

They took "skin" samples from Orc, as well as blood from his remaining human parts. They gave him needles and injections. They got Penny to show them her powers, giving her shocks if she went too far or refused. They had others and done more or less the same thing with each of them. They had to give them shocks with the shock collars they all wore, every now and then but otherwise they were manageable. A girl known as Raven by her friends (realy name is said to be Corby.) could mess with oxygen, girls like her had to be kept in a cell tight with iron gloves on. Otherwise she could kill them!

Then there was Drake.

Drake was in his own large cell, his whip arm was chained in many different places, tightly, against the wall. He couldn't move it at all. He was very unhappy with this and screamed blue murder when anyone came for a sample of his whip hand, blood, skin or otherwise.

Drake was a strange case. Not a mutant but still some form of freak.

He was watched constantly, guards always outside his room, guns in hand as well as tasers, and dart guns to knock him unconscious if he got too wild and hurt himself.

Then one day, a girl showed up. Black hair, green eyes, and reasonably pretty. She just walked right through the building. She ignored anyone who tried to stop her. When they did, they just dropped to the ground.

The girl didn't say her time, just went into the elevator and went to the bottom level. Then she walked into the building and looked around. No guards were here. Of course, they expecting whoever was breaking the freak out not to know about the secret control room. There will be cameras and someone will come down soon. But not quickly enough.

The girl. Walked over to the control panel, reached up, and switched off the power. Not the lights or the computers. But the power that was keeping the freaks at bay.

Then, as quickly as she appeared, she disapeared.

Drake glared down at the ground, biting his lower lip to shred like he always did. When he heard the voice. The voice of his master.

_"The power is down on your restraints and shock collars. Fight. Get free. And then blame it on the freaks."_

Drake's eyes widened and he looked up, searching for the sorce. When he couldn't find it he realized it truly was his master. And the orders were clear. With a sick smile, Drake ripped his arm free from the chains as if they were made from paper. He stood and smirked when the men looked in, they tried to use there shock collar on him but the collar didn't work. Reaching up, Drake used his whip hand to rip the collar from his neck before walking to the door.

The guards were running, getting ready to open the door and shoot him. Talking to one another through walkie talkies. Slowly other mutants were realizing the collars weren't working. In minutes there would be a full blown rebellion.

Drake grabbed the door with his whip hand and ripped it from the hinges, throwing it at the guards. A few were caught and knocked down. No time to check on them. The guards began to fire but Drake's whip seemed to absorb the bullet like clay and he marched towards them, grinning widely as other mutants broke from there cells, all the attention on Drake giving everyone a chance to run. The doors locks no longer working at holding there powers back, collars falling off, tasers not working.

Penny laughed as guards tried to swipe the snakes away from there bodies or stomped on the thousands of flash eating ants that crawled over to there toes. She scream with glee when one shot his friend, thinking he was saving him. Then she turned and ran with the many other kids. The elevator was full as it lifted up. A few kids used there powers, others just stacked boxes and made a hole through the floor. Guards shooting at them, a few caught in the cross fire and taken down.

Others were injured and injured the guards right back. The floor was a wash of corpses and blood. Everywhere you walked there was a small splash under your feet but hardly anyone noticed that over the bodies. Drake was one of the many that was taking down every guard one by one.

One caught him by surprise, knocked him down with a swift kick and kicked him again. He reached for his gun at the same time as he lashed out, meaning to put Drake down like a dog. Was going to keep it up when his face froze and he took a step back. He reached up and felt around his throat and nose, then he reached up and scratched at his throat, then looked around, opening and shutting his mouth, trying to breath but unable to.

Raven stood a few feet away, hands free from the gloves, holding her palms out towards him, cutting off his air and smirking as she watched him desperately choke and drop to the ground. He watched her with pleading eyes but she ignored him and held her power on him. Soon he collpased and stopped moving, twitching only once. She walked over to Drake and smirked, holding her hand out.

"You coming or what?" Raven snickered, brushing some of her hair from her face to show off more of her pale flesh.

Drake growled and stood, shoving passed Raven and moving towards the exit. He lashed out at anyone, mutant or guard until he was at the elevator. Only a few mutants left standing. He watch the elevator go before he turned and checked there was no one else to kill. Raven stood by his side, smiling darkly and waiting. She would wait with Drake, they were practically partners after all, even if they didn't trust one another.

"What's gonna happen now?" Raven asked as she and Drake got into the elevator, leaving the injured guards and mutants to scream and sob for help.

Drake didn't answer.

At the exit. Many more guards and mutants injured or dead. A few carried there friends to safely. Orc knocked guards away from the younger children and probably killed half of them. Penny laughing as she ran, knocking down anyone who got in her way. Other mutants lashing out for revenge, some just eager to escape, some looking for friends or even family that were not there. One or two rushed passed Drake to go back down and find them.

"Wonder how they all knew how to get out?" Drake mumbled, did the Darkness send them messages?

"You of course" Raven laughed as they walked from the building, outside where mutants were running as fast as they could. "They heard you fighting. It was like a sign." she laughed and tricked a guard as he grabbed a boy. The boy thanked her but she gave him a cold look and he quickly ran. "So what's gonna happen now?" she repeated.

Drake was going to ignore her, when a dead guards walkie talkie went off. "The mutants have escaped! They are too dangerous! Many dead. From now on we take in all freaks. Ignore any parent or guardian that fights! It is for the public protection! I repeat! KIDNAP _ALL _MUTANTS!"

"That's what." Drake sneered and began to run. Closely followed by Raven.

More guards were coming, shooting and firing. But they weren't just going for the ones escaping. They were going down to Coates and Perdido Beach for the rest of them as well.


	8. Chapter 8

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Warnings: Children being taken from parents. Quite depressing. _**

**Other Comments: Loved doing this chapter. I love chapters like this in movies and stuff where someone is being taken from there home or something. Really dramatic! Btw, if I am missing any characters out, then lemme know. Also. ONE OF THE LONGEST CHAPTERS YET!**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eight<span>

"NO! MUMMY! MUMMY DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME!" Nancy sobbed as she was carried from the room.

"You can't do this!" Nancy's mother sobbed, collapsing down onto her knees "Please! She's just a little girl!"

"Let my sister go!" Jamie called but one of the men were holding him back, they looked like police but with more armor, heavy helmets over there heads and thick weapons attached all along the side around there belts.

"MUMMY! MUMMY!" Nancy howled and kicked at the door, she scratched to hold on while they carried her from the home but she was easily ripped free. "MUMMY! MUMMY!"

"My baby!" Nancy's mother stood and ran out but one of the guards stopped her.

"Please stay back" he said, and pushed her away.

"That's my baby!" Nancy's mother howled.

"MUMMY!" Nancy threw head head back, her soft ginger hair falling down in front of her face, tears streaming down her cheeks, face turning incredible red from how she was shrieking. She howled and kicked but it was pointless. Neighbours came out and watched as the young girl they had grown to love was ripped from her family and pushed into a small van, still screaming for her mouth. "MUMMY! DON'T LET THEM TAKE ME! I'M SCARED! MUMMY!"

"Enough!" Nancy's uncle shouted, running over. He was like a father to her since her own dad left when she was only a year old. "You can't do this! You need permission to take a child away!"

"Not anymore. They are proving to be too dangerous" the man said "We're sorry but all mutants must be taken."

"MUMMY!"

"You can't!" he roared and charged at the doors to get Nancy out, one the guards quickly back handed him with his gun down to the ground.

The guard stepped towards the watching crowd and spoke loudly, lifting up his helmet slightly so they could see his lips and hear his words. "We will use force if necessary. We have a job to do. They are too dangerous now. They must be taken away where they cannot harm anyone."

"JAMIE!" Nancy howled "JAMIE! MUMMY! NO!"

"Get her out of here!"

"NO!" Nancy's mother ran to the door and placed her hand on the glass, Nancy pressed her own hand over it, as if she coul reach through to safety and feel her mothers soft lovely touch. A guard wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled Nancy's mother away as the van began to drive. Nancy's screamed and beat on the glass with her small fists, howling for her mother all the way until she turned and corner and was gone from view. Nancy's mother collapsed onto the ground, onto her knees, she threw myself down so she was lying in the dirt and howled for her baby. Her brother hugged his sister and whispered to her, glaring at the guards.

"BASTARD!" Jamie roared and kicked a guard but the armor protected him "Bring my sister back!"

He was ignored, the guards already moving down the street. Blinds being closed sharply as parents tried to hide there children. Nancy's mother refused to go inside, grabbed at every guard she could and begged them to bring he baby back. All shrugged her off and walked onwards.

"Astrid! Move!" Astrid's mother snapped, pushing Astrid out the door "You have to run. Hide at your grandmothers. We will keep them busy. Say you are at the library. Stay hidden, stay low, protect your brother. If you have to, run and hide in the trees, at the beach, break into someones house if you must!"

Then she slammed the door and hurried to make sure Astrid's father was ready. Astrid was crying, softly, clutching Little Pete as he stared at his game-boy. No idea they were in danger. Astrid began to run towards the back gate, she checked the cost before running down and hiding behind a small bin. Peeking out and taking quick breaths, she shivered and swallowed hard before she began to run, picking up her feet as she kept her head low. She was wearing a green hoody and kept pulling it down over her face, she made sure Pete was facing against her chest so they couldn't see him either. She almost tripped a dozen times but she forced herself to stay on her feet. Soon she was slipping into her grandmothers garden and into the house.

"Quick," her grandmother hissed, pulling Astrid along "They're coming down the street. Hide in the cupboard, stay here, if you hear noises I will take them to the kitchen. I will say PLANT very loudly, then you slip out and get out of the house. Do you know where you are going?"

Astrid nodded, mouth too dry to talk. She planned to head down to Sam's empty house, sneak inside, wait, then go to the beach. Plenty of spaces to hide there and Sam wouldn't mind her borrowing his house to hide...

"She's not a freak!" Lily's father roared, hugging her closely "Ask anyone! She never was and never will be!"

"Please sir, we have a piece of information that she done something strange" the guard said, trying to push passed Lily's older sister and get into the house.

"Stay away!" Lily's sister snarled, using her large round extra weight to bump the man back "Touch my sister and you'll regret it!"

"We have to test her" he insisted, reaching for his gun.

"You will never take her away! Lily's normal!" her father screamed, pulling her closer against him.

Lily was normal. The strange thing they were talking about was her double joint! She was normal! Yet they were going to take her away! Lily sobbed and hid as much of her face in her fathers waist as much as she could, arms wrapped around him and refusing to let go. She was normal!

Mary and John cuddled together in there main room, in there mothers arms. They were all waiting, dreading that someone would come to there house but thankfully no one did. None of them were mutants but that didn't seem to matter much at the moment.

After a moment of silence Mary stood from her mothers clutches wandered over to the window, looked through a gap in the curtains at the madness outside. She took a sharp breath, pulling the curtain open wider so she could see, so she could be sure. Almost sobbing aloud she looked around at John, the only person who could truly understand her fear at the moment.

"They're taking my kids!" she cried.

"What?" John ran from his mother and over and sure enough, some of the prees were being taken from the school and put into the vans.

There mother was crying, staing at Mary and John, no idea what they were talking about or why they were running to the window. She wanted to call them back but she was too frightened to even find her voice. Luckily there father came back from locking all the windows in the kitchen at the same time.

"John! Mary! Get away from the window!" there father roared, making them both jump.

"But I have to help my kids!" Mary sobbed, she couldn't let them be taken away. She cared too deeply for the poor children.

"You don't have any kids! Stop being ridiculous!" he shouted, grabbing them both by there arms and pulling them over to there mothers awaiting hug. She pulled them both to her and refused to let go.

Mary struggled but her fathers grip was impossible to break. She started to cry, thinking of all the poor, darling children she had taken care of. Who she had grown attached to, now being ripped from that very home and thrown into an awful lab! And they were so young! It wasn't fair!

A guard kicked open the door of the house and stepped inside, he looked around and quickly found them. Eric and Edward stood side by side, Edward holding a knife, Eric had no need. He held his hand out and his arm stretched out, punching the guard even though they were standing right across the other side of the room. Both there parents and there grandfather were by the back door in the kitchen, screaming blue murder at the guards as they tried to push in. Finally they were shouting, screaming for there sons to climb out and get away, too many people to keep them back any longer.

A guard managed pushed through and shot a dart that hit Eric hard in the arm. He yelped and everything grew dark. Edward screamed and grabbed his twin as he dropped to the floor. The guards moved in, easily deflecting the boys knife and shoving him away while they carried his other half from the room. Edward ran over, swearing. The guards grabbed him and took him too. Edward was normal, but they couldn't risk it. Since he was a twin of a freak they had to be sure that he would not also be a freak.

Edward heard his parents running. Then loud bangs. Then just crying. Soon he and his twin were shoved in a van that soon was driving away. He hugged his unconscious twin, sobbing and rocking him back and forth...

Taylor bounced, dodging the darts, making a fuss so the young pree schooler boy could run away with his older sister. Getting away from the guards that had previously tried to take them right from there school, not even letting his parents know. Then Taylor showed up, knocking down guards and vanishing before they could grab her. She made them look like fools.

Vanishing she kicked a guard where you do not want to be kicked and disappeared, the kick did not do anything because of the armor but it shocked him and he took a step back. She appeared and picked up a stick, swinging and connecting with one of the guards faces. The guard grunted from shock and fell right off of his two feet and down onto his back. Sitting up sharply he tried to shoot her but it was pointless. Vanishing again and appearing to headbutt another one. She kept it up, appearing and disappearing in front of them, laughing at how they would never catch her. She was there one moment, then gone the next. She sneered and used each moment to lash out at the guards. When the boy was safely gone she turned to help more distressed kids.

Found a pair, two girls, she didn't know there names. A little younger than she was, cowering on the middle of the road, staring as the guards closed in. Parents no where to be seen. Taylor growled, she appeared in front of the guard about to snatch them and tackled him to the ground.

"RUN!" Taylor screamed at the girls. Instantly they climbed to there feet and darted down the road.

"Thank you!" one of the girls cried back but then they were gone. Safely away.

Taylor vanished and appeared above the guard, meaning to stomp on his head, show him what he gets when he messes with the freaks.

"Ow!" Taylor blinked suddenly when she felt a sharp prick, she reached back and grabbed her neck, she pulled out a dart. Her eyes widened as she stared at the dart, realization dawning, then everything grew unfocused and unclear, she stumbled back and blinked, her eye lids growing heavy. Soon she fell back and hit the ground hard. The last thing she saw was the smirking face of one of the guards before she blacked out.

The darts worked in two ways. Either just knocked you out before you could even blink (normally for the younger children) or it was like slowly losing consiousness.

The guard reached down, picking Taylor up, he carried her limp body over to the van and threw her inside with Eric and Edward. Edward jump to get free but she was just knocked back down again. He stared at the new girl with wide frightened eyes, then curled up and hugged his twin again. Crying softly.

Orc charged through the street, he was looking for Howard. He didn't know where to go, he wasn't smart enough to, he needed Howard.

Soon enough he saw him. Being dragged to a van, screaming that he wasn't a mutant. The guards ignored him, threatened to dart him if he kept it up. Angrily, Orc growled and charged over with slow but heavy steps. They heard him coming but with only a small patch of skin, most of the darts bounced back off of him before hitting the ground. He reached the guard and knocked him down to the ground, he didn't get up again. Dead or unconscious, Orc did not care.

"Orc?" Howard gasped, wanting to hug his friend for saving him.

"What's going on?" Orc demanded.

"Don't know! They're just! They're grabbing everyone!" Howard gasped "You have to get out of here! They'll come for you!"

"What about Astrid? Where's she? And Pe-Tard?" Orc demanded.

"No idea." Howard shrugged, he stood and grabbed Orc "Come on, you have to go!"

"No. Gotta find Sam. Where is he?"

"No idea" Howard grumbled darkly, once again.

"HAY!" someone shouted, looking up they saw Edilio run over "What are you waiting for? They're coming! Get out of here! Both of you!"

Howard nodded, then looked at Orc who nodded back. They both began to charge down the street, Orc knocking away anyone that got in the way. Howard picked up two of the guards guns that Orc dealt with and helped keep them down, firing a mixture of darts and bullets. Half hiding behind his large friend.

Edilio watched them go before he looked around, he saw Albert hiding inside, he couldn't blame him. Edilio wanted to hide too, but he had to help. He couldn't live with himself if he sat around and did nothing! Running over he tried to cause a fuss but the guards knocked him down, they stared down at him before they decided to take him in. Eyes widening Edilio jumped up and hid behind a house before they could shoot him. He could help others and hide if he wanted...

Zil and Zane were loving it. Wandering the streets and helping bring down some of the mutants. Unlike before, where they would be punished, they were congratulated for helping. Even given dart guns! Zil shot at anyone who he considered a freak or freak lover.

"Her!" Zil called "She's a siren!"

Jill looked up from where she had been hiding behind her brother and father, they were trying to sneak her home from the shops. Quickly her father dropped there shopping back and picked Jill up, then turned and ran. Her brother dropped his own two bags and ran at Zil, shocking him and tackling him to the ground, wrestling his gun away. Zane went to help him but Zil waved him off.

"Get the siren! I can handle the freak lover!" Zil shouted.

Jill sobbed into her fathers shoulder as she watched Zane give chase. He was younger than her father and more fit, soon he was catching up fast. She'd be caught. She wanted to try and sing. But she was crying too hard, she couldn't take the breath in to sing. And even if she did then her father would just stop too! And what if the guards had protection for there ears? She'd give herself away!

Jill's father saw someone calling him, he ran into the building and watched Jill's mothers close friend, Madeline, locked the door and pressed her skinny body against it as she faced him.

"Come on! Get her down out the back! Go quickly and quietly! I'll keep the brat busy." Madeline hissed, pointing down the corridor where a large open window was waiting for the two of them.

"Bless you!" Jill's father sobbed, then turned and ran, trying to coax Jill to stop crying and calm down. They would need to stay quiet, stay quiet and hide until they were sure that they were safe.

"Let me in!" Zane roared.

"Go away! No freaks here!" Madeline snapped, pressing against the door.

"I saw them!"

"You're eye sights going!"

"Let me in or I'll break in!"

"You'll be paying my bills!" she warned.

"That's it!" Zane charged at the door.

She gave him a few kicks, then knew her door couldn't take it anymore and she wasn't strong enough to hold him. Jill and her father were long gone so it was safe now. So she unlocked the door and pulled it open just before he charged in. Zane tripped and fell flat on his face, he jumped up, burning red in the face with embarrassment and anger.

"Told you!" Madeline snapped when he looked around and couldn't find them.

Swearing, Zane ignored the woman. He had to find the siren! He began to raid her house...

A guard saw them, he called out and soon Jill was being followed by a dozen other people. They blocked her father off when he turned a corner. Two men grabbed her father and pulled while another wrapped his arms around Jill. They tugged and pulled until eventually there grip slipped and Jill was plucked from her fathers arms. She howled and screamed, taking in choking breaths as she tried to sing but her nose was running and she couldn't breath.

"LET JILL GO! SHE'S NORMAL!" Jill's father lied as he pulled away and shoved to the ground. Jill sobbed and kicked but it was useless. She was carried and pushed into a van. Almost falling on top of Nancy.

The two girls didn't know each other at all, but the minute Jill dropped into the van, they wrapped there arms around one another and hugged, weeping into each others shoulders as the doors was closed and they van began to drive. They clung to one another and said nothing while they cried.

Quinn had just been returning home when it started. He hid down in an alley, shaking and swallowing hard, looking around to see if he could ask someone he knew what was happening. Then he saw one of the guards. They ripped Jill from her father and pushed her into the van, locked her away and drove off. Leaving Jill's father to crumple down, lost of all hope.

Shaking, Quinn stood up and pushed down the street, trying to make his way home, trying to get to his parents before any of the guards noticed him. In the end he was caught. A pair with large guns grabbed him from behind and picked him right off of the ground as if he weighed nothing. Quinn shouted and kicked.

"Is he a mutant?" one asked

"Who cares, we can't risk it. Throw him in." the other grumbled.

"What? NO!" Quinn cried. He kicked out again but it was useless, he was just kicking the air. They were carrying him off towards one of the vans. Fear filled his features and tears filled his eyes, he'd never wanted his mother so much in his life, even when he was in the FAYZ.

A rush of wind darted passed them and the two guards were knocked down to the ground. Quinn fell on top of them and blinked, he caught a very quick image of Brianna running passed, knocking down more guards. He wanted to yell a thanks but she was already too far away. Instead he stood and ran for his home, never stopping, even when he heard the shouts and cries of friends, families and guards.

Brianna ran through the streets, knocking guards down and over as she passed them, letting children in there arms run free. She was swearing and crying softly all the while. Watching children stolen from there homes. It was sick!

She saw Jill the siren being shoved into a van with another girl. Then she saw another young boy and girl, both being shoved into another van that was almost full just a few feet away. Brianna ran over and knocked the man down, she ran to the driver and stole the keys before he could blink. She turned and ran over to Jill and Nancy's van but it was already driving off. Instead she darted over and knocked down the guards holding down Jill's father, keeping a tight hold of the keys. She knocked down a few more guards before she threw open the van doors. Half the kids poured out and ran away, then the guards were up, slamming the doors.

Brianna ran passed and knocked the kids from the guards arms, watching them run, she ran back and opened the doors again, letting the last lot of kids spill out and run. Now all the guards attention was on her. She was more dangerous than the other kids after all. They were shooting darts but they were too slow. Bullets might catch her but darts were bigger and therefore slower.

Suddenly a van pulled out in front of her, Brianna screamed and just managed to steer to the right, but she tripped and rolled over, hitting the ground hard before she skidded to a halt. She was badly cut and coughing from the dirt that filled her lungs. But didn't have any time to recover before the guards were on her. Twisting her arms behind her back and picking her up off the floor and holding a gun at her, threatening.

They were dragging her, just about to throw her in the van she had previously opened to let all the kids escape, when the van itself lifted up from the ground. Everyone gawped and Brianna used the chance to kick and scratch out. She caught them by surprise, standing up and running. When she was a safe distance away the guards all lifted up into the air as well.

She didn't have to run too long before she was standing beside of Dekka.

"When did you get back?" Brianna gasped, injuries hurting her.

"Just now" Dekka growled "I heard what happened and came to help." she didn't mention that she only came back to help Brianna.

"Thanks" Brianna sniffed, close to tears "I though they'd caught me."

"Don't worry about it, let's go." she dropped the van in a heap and they turned around. Running.

More screams as children were taken away. Parents struggled to keep them safe, getting injured in the process. A few didn't give up until they were knocked unconscious. Most kids were running for the safety of the trees and the woods just a few feet away from there homes where they could hide. One or two stole cars and drove. A few's parents took there cars and drove there children away to safety themselves. The worst where the parents that didn't fight for there children.

In Coates Diana screamed and kicked. The rest of the class watched as she was dragged my her hair to the door. The teacher watching and just standing there. Diana sobbed, shouting that she was normal, that they had no proof. But no one stepped forward to help her. They had come right into her English class, pointed a gun at her and demanded she come with them. She had stood and backed away and the first guard had grabbed her, forcing her to go with them.

Down the hall a boy about Diana's age was roaring, using his powers of fire to keep them away. He went silent moments later. Diana saw from the corner of her eye that his unconscious body was being carried down towards the van waiting for them.

"NO! YOU CAN'T!" Diana screamed but they ignored her, dragging her away.

"You owe me one." came a piousness voice.

Suddenly the man holding her was screaming, slapping at his hair and face, falling over himself. Diana blinked and looked up through watery globes. Staring in open shock at Penny as the younger girl walked over and smirked.

"Hurry up! Let's move!" Penny demanded. She planned to hold this over Diana for a LONG time.

Diana sniffed, wiping her eyes and nose before standing and nodding. They turned and darted down the corridor. Leaving the man to realize it was an illusion. Many normal students came to stare at them, to watch as the two ran down towards the doors. It looked like they were going to make it...

Penny gave a soft of hiccup like sound before she stopped and just down onto her front, face first, going still. Diana looked back and her eyes widened at the dart in the back of neck. Diana darted down to grab Penny, to carry her to safety, when she felt a sharp prick. Looking down at her bare leg, just bellow her skirt, was a dart. Diana looked up to see three guards walking towards her. Slowly, Diana's vision went and she dropped down beside of Penny, slipping into unconsciousness. Her last thought... "And I really was looking forward to our date, Caine."


	9. Chapter 9

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Summery: I am thinking of changing the summery slightly to fit where the story is going. Maybe to something like "After the FAYZ everything is back to normal. Only Caine has a little problem with his sanity and mutants are being hunted down by the Lab. But otherwise, normal!" not those exact words but somewhere along the line. if anyone has any suggestions let me know._**

**Other Comments: Thanks for the reviews (Atchair, Arrowkid21 and sheepobsessed) and I wanted to say (mostly to Atchair) sorry, keep reminding me and i promise to add more detail. I normally just want to get my ideas down so quickly that I sort of skim it almost and don't write as much detail. **

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><p><span>Chapter Nine<span>

Caine smiled slightly and lay back on the sand, the sun was nice against his face and it was warming every bare part of his body, his eyes were lightly shut and his hair was pushed back from his face, keeping it out of the way. He lay with his fingers laced together behind of his head, only a thin dark blue towel under his body to keep his back from burning on the grains that had been waiting out in the heat all day, his dark blue sandles and sun cream was beside of him near his water bottle that had been half frozen to keep it cool.

"You working on a tan?" Sam grinned, running over, dripping wet with only a towel over his shoulders. Both boys wearing matching red swim trunks, plain that just reached there knees, otherwise it left the rest of there bodies bare.

"Yeah." Caine smirked "But I don't need to. Even pale and pasty I'm better looking than you."

Sam rose an eyebrow, he watched as Caine shut his eyes and slid his black sunglasses down off his forehead to cover his eyes again and block out the light from burning his eye lids. Then Sam ducked down, grabbed a handful of sand in both of his hands and dropped it over Caine's head. Caine spluttered and sat up sharply. He wiped sand from his lips and dusted his eyes before turning and glaring at Sam.

"You are dead." Caine snarled.

"Gotta catch me first." Sam smirked, stepping back.

Caine reached up, he slowly brushed a hand through his hair, rubbing sand from his hair as beside of he could. And then he began to raise his hand, to either throw Sam into the water or pull him so he could punch the boy, he hadn't made up his mind yet when Sam scowled and grabbed his wrist.

"No powers, Caine." Sam scowled, seriously. Joke aside.

"You think I'm playing?" Caine snatched his hand back "You got sand ALL over me!"

"Caine... We're on a beach?" Sam blinked, staring down at him.

Caine looked like he was going to swear fouly and lash out at Sam without any powers, but then he just smiled and shrugged, sighing. "You're right. I'm sorry."

Sam blinked down at him, then frowned, wondering where Caine was going with this.

"I'm going to the sea to get some of this sand off. You coming?" Cain asked, standing.

"Um. No thanks." Sam said, taking a step back.

Caine shrugged casually and wandered passed towards the water. Watching him, Sam smiled and sat down on top of Caine's towel. The holiday had been a better idea than they thought. Caine was acting quite good, he wasn't using his powers (well he used it every now and then but not against someone) and he had stopped being nasty about Connie. Almost called her mum once!

It was good for Sam as well. He had managed to stay calm and enjoy himself, not thinking of Nerezza, Zil or the lab where Caine might be sent. He was able to ease all the tension that had been building inside of him since the very beginning of the FAYZ.

And to make things even better... Caine hadn't switched all the while they were away. He remained himself, and although he had once climbed into Sam's bed after a short nightmare, he was still the usual Caine.

"Mum?" Sam called, walking over to the woman that was lying on one of the chairs and rubbing a lotion into her arm. She sat up and smiled at him, brushing some hair from her face. She looked quite beautiful and young in her hot pink swim suit. Probably a bit more than Sam or Caine wanted to see her, but many of the men seemed to enjoy seeing her dressed in a two piece.

"Yeah, hone?" Connie looked up.

"Can I get some money for ice cream?" Sam asked.

"Sure." Connie nodded, she reached for her bag but stopped, then suddely blinked and pulled her body away slightly, almost cringing.

Sam frowned and was about to ask why when water rushed over his body, slapping his shoulders and head so hard that his legs bent slightly and he ducked down. He was just beginning to dry off in the warm sun, Caine had used one of there yellow bucket to pour ice cold water back over him again. Then, Caine gently placed the bucket over his head and leaned over his shoulder, smirking.

"I'll have ice cream too" he said casually, like nothing had happened. Another point about Caine was that even though he was improving, he still never asked for anything. He demanded. Connie should really set him straight but she didn't want to spoil the holiday, so she let him get away with it.

"Sure" Connie repeated, lying normally again.

Giggly, Connie watched Sam pull the bucket off and scowl playfully at Caine. He wasn't really annoyed, mostly surprised and cold but he could accept the joke. After all, Sam had thrown sand over him. Connie watched as she reached over to her bag and pulled out her purse, soon she was handing the boys a five pound note and watching them both stroll back to the shops...

Back in Perdido Beach all of the kids were either left in there homes or in the vans. There were guards left on every street, keeping an eye on the other kids left behind, grabbing any mutants that they forgot and even some of the normal kids that they suspected as humans, they said they could not take any chances. They now had lists with pictures of any that are known and were not found. They knocked on the houses and checked them constantly, harassing anyone that they could.

"Let me get this straight..." the guard snarled, slowly lossing his patients "How long ago did your daughter go to the library?"

"Two days go" Astrid's mother answered innocent, smiling coldly like it was normal for her daughter to spend nights at the library.

"Right" the guard growled "And you're not worried?"

"Well, since you're still looking for her. Meaning you haven't found her, then no we're not worried." Astrid's father sneered, he was standing beside of his wife, having refused to sit down when they came in.

The guards ignored him "And does she normally take her autistic brother with her?"

"There are books there to help him." Astrid's mother nodded, though she was not actually very sure.

"And you still refuse to believe that she is not in the Library, despite the fact we have checked a dozen times?" he said, leaning forward.

"She's there." Astrid's mother nodded even though it was an obvious lie. She just smiled "Are we done? I want to get dinner ready."

The guards scowled down at her once again before turning and leaving without a word. Astrid's mother looked at her husband, her smile had dropped down a thousand times when she was sure the guards were gone. She could keep the smile while they were here but when she was gone they grew worried. Astrid's father just smiled down at her and held her hand.

"They haven't caught her yet. As long as they don't have her then she and Pete are safe."

Meanwhile, Astrid had managed to come out of her grandmothers cupboard and into the kitchen, she and Pete ate before her grandmother sat down on the floor out of view with them.

"I have been in contact with your parents" she whispered, afraid that they would be overheard. Guards had come to her home only twice but she wouldn't put it passed them to be spying on her. "Codded of course. Your father has a friend who's daughter was taken. So he has agreed to help and get you and Pete, hide you in his car, and drive you as far out of town as you can get. There, your grandfather will be waiting. He will take you to his home and keep you safe for as long as he can."

"I have to leave my home?" Astrid sobbed "My mother? My father? You?"

"I know baby" she wrapped her arms around her and rocked her back and forth "But it is for the best. You might be able to come home soon. Or we could visit you. But for now, we just want you safe."

"OK" Astrid sniffed, hugging Pete close, he squirmed slightly until she released her hold and he could see the screen of his game-boy again.

"Look after your brother..." her grandmother whispered.

"I will" Astrid whispered back...

As Sam and Caine sat, facing one another on the small metal table outside, they licked softly at there ice creams, biting the flake that was sticking out of it, not saying a word to one another. Soon, when Caine had finished his ice cream and was waiting for Sam he done what he always did.

"I'm gonna call Diana." Caine said standing up and pushing his cold metal like chair away.

"Again?" Sam looked up, a small bit of ice cream on the corner of his mouth "Didn't you already call her?"

"Yesterday, and I couldn't get through. The phone was turned off or something. Now it should be lunch so she should have it switched on looking through her messages." Caine nodded.

"OK then." Sam shrugged and blinked when Caine stared at him, hands on his hips, raising an eyebrow "What?

"Phone" Caine demanded, holding his hand out

Sam scowled up at him. He was waiting to see if Quinn or Astrid was going to text him. They hadn't tried to contact him since he left. But he knew that if he refused Caine the access to his phone then Caine would start using the "I only have one person to call and no one loved me enough to give me a phone while I was growing up. Remember, my parents tried to send me to the lab." It was annoying to listen to him start up all the time and Sam felt a hint of guilt. So he reached into his pocket, pulled out his old mobile, and held it out to Caine.

"Thank you!" Caine smirked sarcasticly, and walked off with the phone in hand.

Sam grumbled under his breath and returned to his ice cream...

Diana looked around with wide eyes, she had been crying but she didn't know when she started, she could barely remember anything. Her throat was sore and her body was ice cold, her chest was tight and her stomach felt as if it was searching for the food that she just did not have. She had been stripped from her skirt and white blouse into a long aqua blue like hospital gown and her body was lying on a table even colder than her own skin. Her wrists and ankles chained with what looked like hand cuffs to each end of the table. She was in a plain room and couldn't see anyone around her unless they were hiding under the table.

Diana swallowed but her mouth and throat was chalk dry, her heart hammered against her chest again and she tried to control her tears and her heavy breathing, but it was too hard. She was too afraid. Unable to even control her own natural body reactions. She tried to kick but every single one of her limbs was as heavy as led and her body was beginning to hurt all over.

Suddenly a door opened, Diana looked around, she hadn't noticed the door to her right before. It was a blend in to the rest of the wall around it. Diana watched closely as a tall man walked in, he was dressed in a white coat and had half of his face covered with a white mask, the only thing she could see was a bald head with piercing green eyes.

"Hello Miss Ladris." he said, his voice was thick like he had a cold.

"Where am I?" Diana sobbed, her voice came out a croak and it hurt to talk but she forced the words out quickly "What's going on? Who are you?"

"You're in the lab." the man said simply, ignoring the last two questions.

"What? No! You can't bring me here! You have no proof I'm a mutant! You have no proof at all!" Diana screamed but it came out more of a whisper because of her throat.

"We have other children with less proof." the man said, nastily, she couldn't see his mouth but she could hear the smirk on his lips.

Diana stared at him with wide eyes, then she blinked away tears, suddenly feeling a lot calmer, like she had worked everything out and she was going to be OK. Staring up at him with a blank expression she gave the smallest of smiles and said the first thing that came to her mind "My boyfriend wont let you get away with this..."

Caine frowned at the phone, he listened until finally she picked up, a lot later than she normally did "Diana? It's Caine."

"Um" came a voice. It wasn't Diana's "I'm so sorry, Caine."

"Exc and frowning sluse me?" Caine frowned, looking side ways at the phone.

"Diana... They came... She... She..." the person on the other line broke down into sobbs before she managed to choke out "They took her to the lab!"

Caine froze, the phone moved away from his ear so that he could turn and stare at the phone properly, his whole body turned ice cold and his mind just went blank. For a moment his fingers began to grow weak, and he felt like the phone was going to slip from his grip. But then he tightened his hold and growled.

"What happened?" Caine snarled, then shouted "TELL ME!"

Sam, who was just standing to go back to the beach, heard him shout and looked up. Sam stood and ran over to Caine's side, he went to grab him but Caine snatched a hold of his wrist and twisted, glaring at him, warning him not to touch him. Sam took a large step back and watched as Caine turned his attention back to the phone, demanding the full story.

It didn't take long before the girl, who identified herself as Lucy, a girl in Diana's class when she was taken, explained that she had found Diana's phone on the floor. She must have dropped it while being taken. Then Lucy went to explain how Diana had been kidnapped by the guards, like many of the other mutants. She told him it was happening everywhere but she was not sure why. Then she just sat there crying.

Caine tried to shout at her through the phone, to shut up, to tell him more. When she couldn't he hung up and threw Sam's phone to the ground.

"HAY! That was my phone!" Sam shouted, and stepped forward, he stopped when he saw Caine's face burning red and his fists shaking "Caine? What's wrong? Tell me."

"They have her." Caine snarled "They have Diana."

"Who?"

"The lab..."

Brianna looked around swiftly, her body tense and she was shivering, she waited only a few more moments, checking the road back and forth and then ran as fast as she could towards the house.

She ran to the side of the wall and jumped through the window without stopping. She skidded to a halt and ducked down, lying flat on her stomach, she was breathing hard but only because she was nervous at being caught rather than tired. She could run for hours without even getting a little out of breath.

Lying on the ground until Brianna was no longer shaking, then she stood and ran over to the fridge, she pulled it open and grabbed the largest bit of cheese she could use and the three chocolate bars hiding inside the room. Then she snatched up a loaf of bread and a large bag of crisps on top of the counter with three different flavors inside.

When her arms were full she went back to the window and tucked as much food into the waist band of her green shorts and down her light blue shirt that was neatly tucked into her brown belt, they would jumble around but they should stay in place while she was running.

Then, taking a deep breath, she jumped out the open window and began to run as soon as her feet hit the ground. Brianna darted down the road, making her way towards the safety of the trees once again. She just made it in time before there was a scream from further down, either a woman coming home to find her fridge open, or someone saw Brianna and freaked.

Those men at the Lab had managed to send out news to everywhere else that Freaks were dangerous, that they had killed and now everywhere was afraid of them.

Brianna came to a stop in a small clearing away from any town inside of the trees and all the food fell out at once. Hitting the hard ground and breaking open or tumbling over and out of the covers.

"Dekka?" Brianna hissed when the other girl showed no sign of coming out.

"I'm here!" Dekka called loudly, not afraid being overheard. No one was near them where they were and even if they where, Dekka and Brianna could get away with no problem. Running over from a bush, Dekka was holding a large bottle of clear still water, and another of diet coke.

"Where'd you get that?" Brianna blinked.

"I lifted them up in one of the houses. The babysitter thought it was a ghost so she grabbed the kid and ran, gave me the chance to snatch em up!" Dekka grinned, then nodded down at the food "Good work".

"Did anyone see you?"

"No. I managed to sneak along." Dekka explained, "Now come on, we better go."

Picking up the food again, Brianna followed Dekka further into the trees. They came to a nice tree with low branches and climbed up, hiding among the leaves on a thick branch, they sat facing one another and holding the food closely. The tree had lots of smaller branches all around it where they could gently place the food and drink with only a small amount of rustling from the leaves, otherwise they were completely hidden.

They had found this area and realized that there were hardly any guards around. This gave them a perfect chance to call it there temporary home. Dekka couldn't have been happier. She was being hunted by the guards in the first place, so she wasn't so worried and this wasn't a drastic change for her, but now she was on the run with Brianna! She could spend all her time with her and they looked out for one another. Just the two of them.

Meanwhile, Brianna was both pleased and upset. She was pleased she and her friend, Dekka were back again, and that she was not alone out here. But at the same time she missed her parents, she didn't understand why the guards were now suddenly after her. She was worried for those that were caught and she was confused. Confused people were always frightened people and Brianna was no exception.

"Want a cheese sandwich?" Dekka asked, holding out half of the sandwich she had just made.

"Sure" Brianna forced a smile and took a bite into the soft bread...

Caine charged back to the hotel, he didn't give Sam any other chance to ask a question. He just ran towards the large building where they were staying and towards the stairs, unable to even wait for the elevator. He was going to pack. He was going to pack and leave!

"Caine! Would you wait!" Sam demanded.

"I don't have time!" Caine snapped, he ran up to there room and tried to throw it open but it was locked and he didn't have the key.

"Caine!" Sam snapped, grabbing his shoulders "Caine! Think! You can't run back! First, we don't know where the Lab is! Second, we don't know what is going on! Third, we have no real way of actually getting back!"

"I have to save her." Caine hissed "How would you feel if it was Astrid?"

"OK. I get it. Let's just go back to mum first" Sam growled, sudden worry for Astrid. Was she OK? Was she caught like Diana?

"What can she do?" Caine shouted.

"First, she can give us the key to get our stuff. Then she can help get us a lift back home." Sam said, he took Caine's hand, something he never did unless Caine was switched. Caine scowled down at there hands before he reluctantly nodded stiffly and followed his brother back down the stairs and out of the hotel. All the while hoping they would not be too late to save Diana.


	10. Chapter 10

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I have been talking a lot of a group ofn facebook. Two groups actually but they are both brilliantly fun to discuss stuff. I also brought a book called "The Maze Runner" which should be like my "The Hunger Games" and I love them so... fingers crossed._**

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><p><span>Chapter Ten<span>

Taylor tried bouncing out of the room a dozen times but it was pointless, whatever kind of metal gloves they had put on her hands seemed to be doing the trick at keeping her where she was. They worked even better than anything else before. She couldn't do anything! She was as useless as when Drake and Caine put the blocks on all there hands and kept them in that room, feeding them like dogs. This place was just like it and it brought back so many memories for her. None of them were good.

While they had been there, the first couple days, Drake came in to torment them and make fun, make sure all of them were miserable as they could be.

One of the boys that Taylor had become friends with was braver than the rest of them, he was stronger. The boy's name had been Harry, he had the mutant power to make things blow up, it would have been very powerful if he had worked on it but for the time it was weak and he could only make small things snap like some kind of firework in the sky. He was not handsome but he was kind of cute and for a while Taylor had considered growing a crush on him. Weird time to think of boys but what else was there to think about when they were stuck like that for days on end.

Drake had come in one day and Harry managed to trip him up by sticking his leg out sharply. He had tried to take power back and take control in some way, he tried to kick out at him since he could no longer use his hands but after a while the kicks grew feeble from how far away Drake was and everyone was too shocked to join in. He had tried to hit him hard anyway and probably was trying to kill him but Drake quickly regained power.

Drake had beaten Harry half to death right in front of Taylor, some of his blood had fallen onto Taylor's legs and the lower part of her shirt. She, along with many others had screamed and cried and cringed away from the scene. Harry had been alive when Drake left him, but two days later two of Caine's men came and collected his limp body. No one could feel his pulse while he was there or press on any of the bleeding wounds or his chest, so there was no way that they could help him. Only watch him die.

Taylor fell into the corner of the room, she covered her ears with her gloved hands and bgean to scream as loudly as she could, the memory was just too much for her, the room was just too small for her.

No one came to comfort or help her, she kept screaming even so. Any moment now someone would come and give her something that would put her to sleep or just keep her quiet, maybe she could get out of the room, even for just a few seconds. But still no one came. It was much easier to ignore her than help.

Eventually she stood and went to the door, she began to beat on it with her gloves and screamed, begging someone to let her out. At some point her words stopped making sense. Her memory of the passed and present were clashing and getting mixed up with one another. She found herself begging for someone to help Harry without realizing it.

"Please! He's dying! Help him!" Taylor sobbed, she turned, pressing her back against the door and slowly slipping down to the ground, crying "Please. Help me. I'm dying." Taylor sobbed.

Still... No one came...

Connie saw the pain and desperation in Caine's eyes and agreed to go home early without a second thought. She took them back to there room where they packed while she called for a ride, all the while glancing over to make sure Caine was OK. Sam did the same thing, mostly because they both knew that any moment now would be the time that Caine would switch into his child like state.

But he held himself together and stayed as the Caine they knew. He packed his bags with a hard face and kept impatiently nudging Sam whenever he thought he was taking too long. Sam would have snapped at him but he understood how he was feeling, so he just picked up the pace each time.

Soon they were climbing into the back of a taxi, there things all in the boot, and they were driving home. Caine didn't say anything, but Sam felt him slowly reach down and take a firm hold of Sam's hand for comfort. The drive would be at least a minimum or two hours long and that was if there was no traffic or car problems.

"Maybe you should get some sleep." Connie suggested, watching as Caine kept rolling his head back and forward impatiently.

"No" Caine snarled like an animal "Leave me alone."

"Don't get snappy, it wont help her to be a dick." Sam growled, squeezing his hand gently.

Caine suddenly squeeze back, trying to hurt Sam, but Sam just gave him a small smile and shrugged like it was no big deal. It had actually hurt him but Caine would only squeeze more if he saw him wince. He was like an animal when it came to sensing someone elses pain or fear. It was kind of scary at times but again, Sam tried not to show it.

"Everything will be fine." Sam shrugged grinning, hiding the pain "Probably a mess up. They will let Diana go as soon as we explain everything."

"You really think that?" Caine sneered.

"Yes I do." Sam lied, grinning at him again and giving his hand another squeeze, this time Caine looked ahead and nodded, leaning into Sam slightly...

Drake ignored Raven for most of the time they were walking. She followed him and pestered him like a little bug, smiling in an ice cold way that sent shivers down many peoples spine when they saw it, but it didn't effect Drake at all. He was already terrifyingly cold and cruel to be effected by Raven's smile, no matter how dark she made it.

"Where are we going?" Raven asked for the hundreth time but with no real hope of getting an answer.

Drake ignored her once again. He was trying his best to pretend that Raven was not there. He had much prefered to be on his own at the moment but Raven had been one of the few people to stay by his side the whole time. Raven and he had been good partners before, during and after the FAYZ, but neither truly trusted the other one. They were always waiting for the other to back stab them, then they both believed they would be able to turn the tables and get rid of the other.

"Drake." someone whispered, it was a females voice but it wasn't Raven's. It sounded familiar and for a second Drake thought it was in his head again, but then he spotted Raven looking around and knew she had heard it too.

"Who is it? Who's there?" Drake demanded, whiping his arm so it made a defening cracking sound.

"Do you want them to find you?" the voice demanded suddenly sharp and angry "If not then don't do that."

"Show yourself." Drake snarled. Raven was holding her hands out to where she suspected the noise to be coming from.

After a moment there was a rustle of leaves to there left. Nerezza stepped out, smirking slightly as she walked over to them. For a moment Drake did not recognise her and planned to rip her apart then and there. But then he saw something in her bright green eyes and something clicked inside of his mind. He knew who she was. He was not sure how, just that he knew.

"You..." Drake whispered, eyes widening while Raven looked back and forth between the two of them, still ready to fight if anything happened but slowly feeling nervous. Did Drake know her? Did he want her to stay safe or should Raven kill her now before she did anything.

"Yes me. Nice to see you again." Nerezza nodded and turned, focussing her green eyes on Raven, she stared at her with a bored expression before turning her attention back to Drake "I have a job for you."

"A job?" Drake frowned but leaned forward, the tip of his whip hand twisting and slithering around his body with excitment.

"Yes. I don't care if you kill them or just hand them over to the lab, but I want you to get as many mutants as you can out of the way." Nerezza said simply, she frowned slightly to show she was serious.

"Sounds like fun" Drake smirked, arm snapping again.

"Yes it will be." Nerezza nodded and turned away, leaving Drake to drool over the excitment of his new job. She knew how to play Drake to get exactly what she wanted and that Raven girl would most likely follow without even completely realizing what it was she was to do. They were both easy to play...

The car stopped just a few feet from the entrance of Perdido Beach. Sam was slowly drifting to sleep but trying to stay awake as best as he could so he was sort of in the middle of sleep and awake, Caine was twitching constantly, moving against Sam and trying to stay calm, but the longer it took the more agitaited he became while Connie was also slowly drifting to sleep. She woke sharply when the car came to a sudden stop and looked ahead.

"What is it?" Connie asked, yawning and squinting ahead through the dirty window.

"Some kind of road block..." the man grunted, then jumped when there was a knock on his side of the window.

He rolled down his window and the man, a guard, quickly hissed "Get out of the car," he was holding a large gun and he was ready to use it but not on the taxi driver. It seemed to be more positioned towards the back seats.

"Excuse me?" he blinked, then eyed the gun and slowly climbed out, getting nervous. By now Sam was awake as well, frowning at the guards and sitting up straight.

"You too ma'am." another guard said, tapping on the window and nodding at Connie.

"What is this about?" Connie demanded, twisting around and covering Caine from view.

"Please ma'am. We won't ask again. Leave the vehicle." the man said, raising his gun as if she could not see it before. Maybe he honestly hoped she would jump out if she got a proper glance at the gun.

"No!" Connie snapped.

"We will use force if we have to." he threatened, she could hear him growing annoyed but still refused to move.

"Tell me why and I might." Connie growled, holding her arms out to hide Caine and Sam.

The guard looked up at the others, there was a long moment of silence before he was nodding and reaching over, he went to open the door but Connie slammed her hand down on the lock and glared at him. Sam reached over and locked his own door quickly, Caine's hands twitching softly as he looked back and forth in between of the guards, face tight. They were the ones that had taken Diana, he was itching to make them pay.

The guard scowled and rose his gun. In seconds he brought it down on the glass. He probably could have gotten them from the two front doors but it would have been just as awkward, better get them out of the door they were right beside, even if it did get a little messy.

Caine expected it to break straight away but instead there was just a loud cracking sound. Connie's eyes widened and she leaned back into her sons, thinking of a way out. The guard brought the gun down for a second time, this time there was another crack and the glass had a large white crack in the very middle of it as well as around of the sides. One more go and it would all crumble down inside.

Connie turned and looked around but they were surrounded, she took a breath and faced the guard just as he brought the gun down for a final time. The glass shattered and sprayed Connie, Caine and Sam like a dozen sharp shinning pieces of rain. Sam shouted in shock and instantly covered his eyes with his arm, Caine rose a hand and sent a dozen pieces flying back through the gap of the window, heart racing against his rips, feeling more excited than ever before in his life, he could use his powers again!

The glass bounced against the guards armor as he reached inside and unlocked the door, pulling it open. Connie screamed and pounced from her seat, tackling the guard to the ground, she stood as a few more guards moved to pull her away.

"BOYS! RUN!" Connie shrieked as she was carried away, trying to lash out and keep some of the guards busy even if she couldn't do a great job of it.

Sam and Caine shuffled from the car just as the guards ran around around to grab them. Caine rose his hand and sent three flying through the air, he would have thrown a good few more if something sharp hadn't hit his hand. Blinking he stared down at his hand but couldn't make it out, whatever it was it had gone very fuzzy and strange.

"Caine!" Sam shouted as his brother slowly dropped down to the ground onto his front.

"Sam! Don't get distracted!" Connie shrieked as she was dragged away by a guard who only had to pick her up and throw the woman over his shoulder to keep her at bay.

Sam looked up as a guard rose his gun, pointing it at him this time. Thinking quickly, Sam held his hands out in front of himself, so his palms were facing the sky and made a small round ball of light. The guards were moving in quickly and he did not have enough time to worry about himself or Connie. Instead he increased the light and shut his eyes, hoping that would be enough.

He kept making it brighter and brighter, quickly, so the guards had to take a step back. Soon the light was burning the top of Sam's eye lids, a few guards screamed and fell back, they all wore helmets with dark shade glass that hide there faces from view, but even the shaded glass could not protect them from the bright light. The light was starting to burn right through Sam's eye lids now, there was no way they could see him so they wouldn't be able to shoot him, but it would not be long before they began to shoot randomly.

Sam turned and grabbed Caine by the shirt, he tried to drag him but it made too much noise and soon the guards were shooting down at him. A dart brushed by his face and he fell back in shock, letting go of Caine as he fell.

Suddenly a guard appeared, he had tried to tackle him but was blinded and missed. Sam rolled onto his stomach and tried to squint but the light was still too bright and burned his eyes.

Instead Sam reached behind him and felt the car, ducking down he rolled underneath it and reached out for Caine. Just as his fingers fell on his brothers ankle he felt him being picked up and dragged away from him. Sam wanted to scream, wanted to jump out and take down anyone that try to steal Caine away...

...But what would that achieve? One of the guards would catch him, knock him out and just drag them both off to the lab. If he tried to help and failed they would both go down to the lab. But if he stayed where he was... waited... watched... maybe he could find the lab, find the weak points, save Caine and all the others and then run off.

As much as it killed him to lay there, he forced himself to stay still.

He didn't dim the light even if he wanted to, if he did then they might look around and find him. He had to hold it, at least until he got away. Sam turned away and crawled towards the other side, he carefully slipped out and went to crawl but froze.

A foot was less than inches from his face. He couldn't see it properly, his eyes were squinting against the light behind of him and the light was still blinding even with his back to it. But he could just see a shape and it was almost like he could _feel_ it in front of him. Swallowing, Sam stared at the foot, waiting for it to take a step forward and smack him in the face, then where they would all find him and shoot him down like a dog.

But instead the foot stepped back sharply and disapeared from sight. Sam took a shaky breath and started to move forward again, trying to watch out for any more feet or shapes in front of him without burning his eyes on the light. He remained on his stomach and crawled along as quickly as he could, scratching his body but not drawing any blood. Soon Sam found himself able to open my eyes wider and wider with each crawl he made that moved him further away from the light, though he still couldn't help but see spots. Soon Sam was able to see properly again, with wide eyes and no red spots flashing above the air like fairies, he stood up and began to run.

It wasn't long before he was hiding down and panting. Most of the guards were still working around the light for him so none of them had spotted him as he ran. He was shaking and he tried to not think about how he had just abandoned his brother. Connie should be OK, they would let her go eventually but what about Caine?

Sam slowed down eventually, he was at a large cliff edge with a lot of rocks, they might find him here, they might not. But now he needed to breath and get his head together. To understand what exactly had just happened back there! They had tried to take them even when Connie had said no! They couldn't do that! Could they?

Sam scowled, they seemed to be blocking of Perdido Beach from everyone but it also seemed that it was his best shot at answers. That was where all the other mutants had been taken from, right? Plus Astrid was in still inside there, and possibly Caine. He had to figure out a way inside. He just hoped his mother and brother would be OK for now until he got in there.


	11. Chapter 11

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: Thanks for the review (Arrowkid21) and I will do that. So from now on when I go to a new POV I will put three "." and in bold. Hopefully that will help with confusion.  
>I went on a chat room for Gone and found out everyone hates Astrid because she wouldn't sleep with Sam... I mean that was pretty dumb to hate her. She was big Christan so if she doesn't want to sleep with him then shouldn't he love her anyway? Plus she's only fifteen years old! -_-<em>**

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eleven<span>

The room was grey. Grey walls, grey flooring and a grey ceiling. The door was even grey. And there was nothing in the room apart from Caine himself. He was lying on the floor, blinking up at the roof above him and frowning slightly. He didn't know where he was or why he was here. He had just woken up and everything was slowly brought back into focus.

The floor he was lying on was ice cold against his skin and sent shivers all along his spine. He slowly tried to sit up but his body was aching and felt a lot heavier than normal. Eventually he managed to get up and he squinted around the empty room. It had no windows and the door almost blended in to the rest of the walls.

"Hello?" Caine tried to speak but his voice was raw and dry, he needed a drink.

He tried to lift his hands but his arms were even heavier than the rest of his body. Looking down he noticed why. He was wearing a set of heavy metal gloves over his hands and halfway up his arms. It was very painful and hot but he couldn't even sit up properly, let alone try and shake the gloves off.

"Hello?" Caine tried again, his words came out better but it was still hard to talk "Sam?"

He forced his body to sit up properly, pain shot through his body but quickly settled back down again. Slowly he climbed up onto his knees and them clampered up onto his feet. He found himself leaning over, his hands were just to heavy to lift up off the ground, he couldn't bend his fingers. The gloves were more like blocks, rectangular blocks that just balanced on the ground while he tried to move.

His bones felt cold and stiff, it was hard to bend his knees or roll his shoulders even when they were not covered in any kind of metal material. His head was pounding like someone had taken a large drum inside his brain and was beating it as hard as they could.

"Hello?" Caine shouted as loudly as he could.

Still the room was silent for a long few minutes that dragged on like hours. Then the door opened, there were no sounds or warnings, the door just swung open and almost cracked against the wall as it hit.

It was man dressed in a white lab coat with half of his face covered with a single white mask. He walked over to Caine with no fear of the younger boy. He was holding a clipboard in one hand and a pen in the other. He walked over and stopped just in front of Caine, uneffected by the boys dark glare as he scowled up at him.

"Caine Soren." the man stated "Fifteen years old. Son of Connie Temple and brother of Sam Temple."

"Who the hell are you?" Caine snarled.

The man ignored him and rose an eyebrow as he stared down at him. He wrote something on the board and then gently kicked Caine's leg, almost making the weak boy collapse.

"Try that again!" Caine roared, trying to stand up straight "I dare ya!"

The man ignored him again and got down on one knee, he snatched one of Caine's hand and held the glove up, checking it. Caine growled and use this chance to throw the man across the room, he didn't think about it, he never did, but when nothing happened he began to strain and tried to force his power to work.

As soon as he tried to throw the man the glove began to shake, almost like it was on vibrate. The man frowned and his body shifted a little like a small child was pushing him. A tiny push to rock him but no where near close enough to knock him right off of his feet and into the wall. The man wrote something else down on his board and stood up again, then he smiled coldly down at Caine.

"Yes. You would be a good experiment for the 'cure' but we will save that for your twin. The other children say he is equally as powerful. We will put you in the rest other group." the man nodded.

"Other group?" Caine gasped, he was tired and sweating from trying to push himself over his limit.

"'Power'" the man said then turned and left the room.

Caine tried to run after him but the minute he took a step forward he collapsed down to the ground and began to cough and choke for his breath. There was a loud bang as the door shut and another click as the door locked again. Then Caine was left alone to swear and curse at the room, throwing his glove hands down to the ground, trying (and failing) to break them apart. Then he could throw the door open and rip that bloody man limb from limb!

**...**

Astrid looked left and right as her grandmother covered her body in a soft dark brown cloak, she was leading her away from the town, hiding her whenever needed and trying to get her away. Guards were crawling around the street and they had to keep ducking down, the streets were empty even for the normals because they were afraid there children would be mistaken for the mutants and then taken away from them.

Her grandmother was worried about Little Pete at first, she spent too much time around other babies that she didn't realize just how quiet he was until now. He didn'y say a word, even when hidden under the cloak and pressed tightly to Astrid's chest. He was far too busy to care about there lives at the moment.

The guards strode down the street and Astrid just managed to duck behind a wall, her grandmother was not so lucky and had to freeze or give her grand children away.

"Hold ma'am!" a guard shouted, raising his gun at the woman.

"Oh?" Astrid's grandmother rose an eyebrow "Done attacking children? Moved on to the little old ladies now?"

"What is your name?" he demanded, ignoring her comment.

"Alice Willson. I have no children or grand children so don't bother checking your list." she lied "Now I must go shopping. You keeping everyone inside has left me to get my neighbours milk for them."

He checked the list and found no child with that last name. He was unsure but he didn't want to hold her for too long in case it was a distraction. Shrugging he waved his gun for her to pass.

Her grandmother tensed and walked passed. She would have to just hope that Astrid would make it out to her grandfather in time.

Astrid watched her go before ducking down on the ground and shivering in the cold, clutching Pete close and willing herself not to cry aloud. She had to get out of here, for Pete's sake at least. But how could she when the place was crawling with guards and she was now all alone.

"Why can't you take us outside of town?" Astrid whispered to Pete "Come on, you know you can, just outta the town."

He ignored her and continued with his game. After she had composed herself, Astrid stood up and checked around the corner. The guard was there but his back was to them. If she was quiet and careful she could skip across the street and hide in the alley way behind the the bins until he left. Taking a deep breath, Astrid pulled Pete closer to her chest, picked up her feet and darted across the street.

"Itll be OK. It'll be OK. It'll be OK." Astrid whispered for the whole time.

**...**

Sam looked around, guards everywhere he looked, he couldn't get iniside. It was crazy! After a while of searching around Sam saw that he was NOT going to be getting inside any time soon. His best bet was to wait for someone to come out and grab them, then he could question them, find out what he needed to know and go from there.

But again that was easier said than done. No one wanted to come out, the only one that did were guards and they were always protected with there clothes and they always came out in pairs. Sam didn't want the chance to alert anyone that he was nearby, meaning he would have to wait for someone to come out on there own. Then he could snatch them up with his light!

He hid in the trees up on one of the low branches outside the biggest entance. It had four guards outside all armed with guns but they seemed a little over confident, they barely reacted if any of the branches or bushes shook as Sam moved, they passed it off as the wind.

The next day, just as Sam was about to give up (if anyone came then they came while he was sleeping and got back in again) the gates opened and someone stepped out.

Zil!

Sam blinked and then a small smirk covered his lips. What a better person to get his answers from, he could scare him too! That will show him for attacking so many people the way he did.

Zil said something to the guard and the guard let him go. Then Sam slowly climbed down and followed Zil down away from the guards, he had a gun but Sam wasn't sure what it was filled with, bullets or darts. Zil was so sure no one was going to attack him that he didn't bother to notice if Sam stumbled, or when he did, he asked who was there then moved on when there was no answer. He was as over confident as the stupid guards.

When they were far enough away, Sam stepped out beside of him, sowly stepping forward and taking a deep breath. Then he pounced.

He grabbed Zil's gun with one hand, the other snatched around and slapped over his mouth to stop him from shouting. Zil instantly freaked, instead of using one hand to hold the gun and the other to elbow Sam in the ribs of something, he grabbed the gun with both hands and tried to push and pull it out of Sam's grip. He shouted into Sam's hand and threw his head back slightly but it was pointless.

Sam leaned forward and whispered into Zil's ear "Keep fighting and I'll use my 'freak' power to burn a light through your skull." Zil stopped fighting instantly. "OK. Now let go of the gun." Zil shook his head and scowled.

Sam rose an eyebrow and used the light to make his hand glow slightly. Zil's hands let go and dropped by his side, his heart slamming against his ches and his eyes alive with fear and anger.

"Better." Sam nodded "Now, Zil, I want information. Now!"

He spent the next few moments with the gun in hard, pointing at Zil's temple to keep him from shouting while he explained about the guards showing up and taking all the mutants to the lab.

"Did they get Astrid? Pete? Tell me!" Sam snapped.

"I dunno! I was only there when they got a few, like that siren Jill. And some dumb identical twins or something." Zil sulked "They took some non freaks too. Taking no chances."

"Where did they go?" Sam asked.

"No idea." Zil shrugged casually and then winced when Sam pressed the gun against his head "I mean it! I don't know!"

"Well what do you know?" Sam snarled.

"Everything that I told you!" Zil insisted.

"How am I supposed to trust someone like you?" Sam snorted.

"Well what other choices do you have? You're not like your brother, you wont kill me." Zil smirked.

"Those..." he took a breath to avoid swearing "Them lab people took my brother. They attacked my mother. I don't know what has happened to Astrid and the rest of my friends and I am very close to snapping. So don't push me too far, Zil!"

Zil saw the anger in Sam's eyes and kept quiet. He bit the inside of his lower lip and scowled, glancing down at his feet in defeat.

"That's better." Sam growled.

Zil looked up and scowled "What are you gonna do then? Shot me no matter what?"

"No. I wont kill you. Not unless I have no other choice. Now tell me." Sam leaned down "Anything else you know?"

"I really don't." Zil answered, nodding honestly.

"... OK then." Sam sighed, deciding to believe him.

He stepped back and sighed again, letting the gun drop slightly and using on hand to rub some sweat from his forehead. Sam was at a loss once again. His only other hope would be getting a guard and using him for information but they would be even harder than Zil was! They would be trained, plus they would have more weapons, they would be harder to crack even if they did happen to have more information.

Zil tried to stand and jump at him at that very moment, Sam quickly jumped back, raising the gun and smacking him around the face and knocking him back down onto the ground where he belonged.

Sam tried not to let off how satisfying it had been to knock Zil into his place and went back to thinking of what to do next. Then he came up with a sudden strange thought. The guards were obviously powerful, but they couldn't be unbeatable! Some of the mutants had to get the better of them, maybe they even managed to get out in time and run off, all he had to do was figure out a way to find them.

"Zil!" Sam snapped "Listen to me! Answer my questions and I promise to let you go."

Zil scowled up at him before he glared and gave a very reluctant nod.

"Did any of the mutants get away? Did any of them escape?" Sam asked.

"Yeah, I suppose some did." Zil shrugged.

"Do you know where they went?" Zil shook his head "Did they leave Perdido?" he shrugged his shoulders "Do you know any?"

"I can't remember!" he snapped then frowned "Well. I remember that lesbian bitch escaped." Dekka! "And the big rocky dude, Orc, and the little runt that follows him around."

"Howard isn't a mutant." Sam frowned.

"I know but he was being taken anyway." Zil shrugged, he thought back "Most of the mutants in the lab originally had been caught as well and they escaped, that includes that psycho Drake by the way."

"Drake?" Sam's eyes widened and he cursed "Damn it!"

"Yeah, Drake." Zil shrugged, then he spotted Zane, slowly making his way over. Zil surpressed a smirk and looked up at Sam "Oh yeah! Something about Astrid." he said, distracting him long enough to get his brother closer.

"What about her?" Sam demanded.

"Oh well. Hmmm." he smiled "Nevermind, I suppose you'll see her soon anyway."

"What are you talking about?" Sam frowned.

"SAM! LOOK OUT!" came a voice from near to the right.

Sam spun around just in time as he felt a rush of wind knock against his back. He watched as Zane fell back to the ground, dropping his gun and letting it slide from his grip. Then the gone was gone and instead was in Brianna's hand as she stood over Zane, pointing the gun at his face and scowling, one of her feet up on his chest.

Turning to check on Zil, Sam saw that Dekka was pinning him down, sitting on his chest while pinning his arms to his side and glaring down at him in a way that would frighten any normal person. They both looked quite well apart from a few tears in there clothes and a bit of dirt and sweat here and there, otherwise he would have kissed them if he didn't think Dekka would punch him both ways!

"What... What are you two doing here?" Sam asked, confusion and joy mixed in with one another.

"Thank us later." Dekka growled, she stood up, holding ont his arms before she dragged him up to his feet. Zil had never looked so frightened, even when Sam had pointed the gun at him.

"We need to go! No!" Brianna said quickly, not taking her eyes off of Zane. "The guards will be coming soon!"

Sam nodded, he looked at Dekka "He's hardly a threat. Just throw him down to the ground or something."

No sooner than the words were out of his mouth did someone fire at him. It just passed his face and he shouted, stumbling back. When he looked up he saw a dart sticking out of a tree.

"RUN!" Dekka roared, and she darted for the cover of the woods once more, leaving Zil to clamper up onto his feet.

Brianna was gone in seconds but came back quickly to give Zane one last kick in the face and then she was almost invisible.

Sam turned to run and follow them as well, but instead he stopped and faced the guards. Time to give Zil and Zane a taste of there own medicine for once. He made sure the guards were not firing at him and he hid behind of a thick tree before he shouted as loud as he could, over the screams of other guards and Zil and Zane.

"OIH! Why are you shooting us? Did Zil never tell you? Was he trying to save his own skin? Zil's a mutant!" for a moment silence, then more shouting.

Sam didn't even have to name some kind of mutant power before he heard Zil and Zane screaming in defence, then Zil's screams stopped as they gave him a nice dart in his back. He would be put through hell, just like all the other mutants and non mutants taken to the lab. Serves him right for every life he ruined!

Then, when he was sure that at least most of the guards attention was away from him, Sam turned and ran after Dekka.

"Nice one!" Brianna commented, before dashing ahead and showing them the way to go.


	12. Chapter 12

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: Me and my mates made a stereotype advert for college, its up on youtube and its brilliant! I'm so proud! I was the camera woman!  
>I decided to thank everyone personally like on my other stories:L<em>**

**_Thanks: _**_Swimmachick (She's in this chapter :D).  
>Mia (thanks for reviewing so much! and I actually quote someone said they didn't like her because she wouldn't sleep with Astrid. -_- I mean I don't like her very much because she's too much of a know it all but this person honestly hated her because of her sex life?)<br>Arrowkid21 (I am glad I can spread the happiness:L)  
>Knifapotamas (Here's the next part then!)<em>

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twelve<span>

He wasn't sure how long they had been running through the woods, pushing branches from there face and tripping or slipping in the sticky mud beneath there feet, just that it was not long before they were all nearly out of breath and coming to a stop. Brianna was fine and quickly came back with a bottle of water that Sam gulped down greedily. Then he turned to face the two girls. They both grinned at him, relieved to see that Sam had come back from his holiday. Sam grinned back, he had missed them both a lot!

"Good to see ya," Dekka nodded, her hair had grown out a lot and bounced around her shoulders, Brianna took a quick swing of the drink before passing it over to her friend.

"OK, you two have to tell me what happened." Sam said quickly, dropping the happy and cheery attitude to get back to business, he wiped away some sweat from his forehead and trained his eyes on them both.

"Didn't Zil just tell you?" Brianna asked, raising an eyebrow at him, half of her hair was still up in a pig tail but the other half had fallen down when she lost the hair band, she had been looking for it when they had haread Zil and Sam so she had to leave it as it was for now.

"Yeah but... I dunno." Sam sighed and looked at them pityfully, "I guess I was hoping that he was lying or something."

"Nope. Telling the truth from what we heard." Brianna shrugged, she didn't seem as upset as Sam would expect her to be. Maybe she just knew better than to try denial.

"... What about Astrid? And Pete? And Jack and the others?" Sam asked deperately.

"No idea about Astrid or Pete. And I didn't see Jack either." Brianna mumbled, sadly, then looked up and said bravely "I helped out a few kids, but they might have been caught again. I saw Taylor getting trapped, along with a few others. Jill was taken too and so was a girl called Wendy that I had know. Some others but there were too many to name."

"It's sick." Dekka growled, looking angry again "I saw them take Edward and his twin... I can't remember which one, but I know that one of them isn't even a mutant! Why did they have to take him! Why did they have to take so many of the other normal kids! They put parents through complete misery and they will never be able to tell who's a mutant and whose normal! They'll keep those kids away for years on end and then... and then..."

"Don't worry." Sam said, stepping up to her and placing a hand on her shoulder for even a small bit of comfort "I promise we will get them all out."

"How can you promise that?" Dekka squinted at him.

"Because I won't let them get away with this. They've taken Caine, they've possibly taken Astrid and they have taken the rest of my friends. I won't let them get away with this." he repeated, his face hard and angry as he tried not to shout the last sentence.

"What do you want us to do?" Brianna asked, eager. She hadn't been part of a big fight or anything exciting since the FAYZ. She didn't miss the danger or the heart race as she feared she was going to be killed if she so much as stepped into the wrong place. But she had missed the exceitment and the sudden rush when she got a chance to be part of something big, she missed being "The Breeze". Superhero!

"I want you to go in search of all and any mutants you can find that got free?" Sam explained to her "We need as many people as we can, but there is no point in tricking or forcing them to come back, only get those who want to fight back freely."

"You got it boss!" Brianna saluted.

"When you have found as many as you can, meet me back here in three days." Sam held up the fingers to ephasise the number.

"Yes sir." she nodded again.

With a final nod for goodbye, Brianna turned around and dashed off. It was different now. They were no longer in the FAYZ which meant that it would take Briana a long time before she would find anyone and that was if she managed to find them at all! They could be hiding or taken flights right out of the contry, that was actually the smart thing to do... Then there were the ones that would not come back with her because they were too afraid, which would probably half there number. If Brianna came back empty handed then he wouldn't blame her. He would have given her more time but they couldn't waste forever searching for strays.

"What are we going to do?" Dekka asked, facing Sam, already missing Brianna.

Dekka liked being alone with Brianna for days, surviving as just the two of them for a few long days. She couldn't help but be disapointed that this might mean the end of that. If Sam was around then the chances are he would help save everyone and everything and then Dekka would be back to running for her life while Brianna returned to Jack's arms. The thought made her sick. She was glad she helped Sam but part of her couldn't help but feel that if Brianna had never heard Sam shouting, then they would have never gone to save him and they wouldn't be seperated now.

It was selfish thoughts and she quickly pushed them down and away in her mind. She had to help all those young children that were normal and mutant, because it wasn't fair. She knew what it was like to be hunted down and she was determind to help anyone else. Especially those poor families whose children actually miss them!

"You and I are going to see if we can find a weak point." Sam explained, "It could take a while, we want to not only get a weak point so that we can get back into Perdido Beach but we also needs weapons for those of us whose powers are not that strong, or for those who may not have the best power for attacking."

"Remind me why we are trying to get inside of the enemy territory again?" Dekka frowned.

"Because I am pretty sire that the lab is inside of the area." Sam explained.

"And why are you pretty sure of that? How do you know they haven't taken them to a whole new country?" Dekka just wanted to be sure before they ran inside and got themselves caught.

"A few reasons actually." Sam explained, a small smile on his lips. He had been expecting someone to question why he wanted inside. "One. They have so many guards around the whole of the area, it can't just be for keeping any other stray mutants in, they would have only a few because they would think that there can't be many left. It has to be to keep the bigger and badder mutants in. And to keep mutants who want to rescue the others, like us, out.

"Reason number two. I saw them carrying Zil back inside," He went on "I just saw them quickly dragging him in that direction. They might have been trying to get him away from Zane but I am pretty sure that they would have dragged him in the direction of the lab now since they now think he is a mutant so they wont take any chances.

"Three. If they took the lab somewhere outside then that would mean putting normal people in danger, especially while they are transporting the mutants across the ground without anyway to stop there powers, since I doubt they made the vans out of cement blocks or something. They would have to keep it somewhere near to avoid long travel. The quicker they get there the better.

"And finally, four. Because when the others all broke out from earlier, there was no damage heard from anywhere else or in other towns. I know that Drake had broke out and if someone like Drake broke free he would cause as much caos as he could, but instead the caos started inside of where the FAYZ used to be. That is the same for the other mutants. If I had been taken to a lab like most of them had then I might want to be looking for some kind of revenge."

"... Smart." Dekka nodded slowly "Keep that up and you'll take Astrid's job from her."

Sam grinned and winked, he had plenty of time to think about it. He also didn't mention that most of it was a guess work anyway. He wasn't sure that no one had spotted the mutants or that no one had been hurt since the break out, he wasn't even sure that the vans were ot made to stop any mutant powers. He was just assuming because if so then surely someone else would have heard about it.

"You ready for our mission?" Sam asked, serious again.

Dekka said nothing, just ducked down and nodded. Following Sam's lead. Just like when they were in the FAYZ. Only now there enemy where just a bunch of arrogant adults that were afraid of having children more powerful than they were.

**...**

Diana couldn't believe her eyes when she was pushed into a room just like all the others only to find that Caine was standing there as well. In the very middle of the room, looking at the door with shock to see Diana stumbling inside. As soon as she saw him she ran over and hugged him, not even thinking about what the lab was up to or the dangers of showing effection. She just wanted to have her arms around him again, it was awkward with the gloves on but she really did not care! His own arms swung around her waist and she felt safe. Caine was as crazy and evil as ever but somehow she still felt safe inside of his arms.

"What are you doing here?" Caine whispered into her hair, ignoring the fact that some of it was tickling his name and giving him the urge to sneeze. Glancing over her shoulder at two men that walked into the room after her. One that reminded him of a Ken doll the girls used to make kiss Barbie, while the other that looked more like a mad scientist from a horror book.

"They came to Coates and grabbed me." Diana whispered, voice surprisingly steady, "They keep trying to get me to use my power but I keep pretending I don't have any. They say they want to use me to make some machine that will tell them who is a mutant and who is not. They have so many kids here! Some aren't even one of us."

Caine tensed and held her closer as the man shut the door, then he whispered into her hair once more "Hold on. I'll get us out."

"OK." then he let go of her and Diana moved around to his side, turning to face the two men with one of her famous deadly ice queen glares.

They were not moving, just stood there writing in there clipboards and watching Caine and Diana with a sick fasination in there eyes, the mad scientist lower face was covered but the Ken dolls was left clear and he seemed to be smirking slightly at them.

"What do you want?" Caine finally demanded, growing bored of standing around and doing nothing.

They ignored him and watched, waiting for Caine and Diana to do something of interest. Instead the two stood where they were, staring at the men and scowling. Diana cuddling up against Caine for protection even though she must have known there was nothing he could do while he wore the gloves on his hand. Diana wore them too but her powers were useless anyway. They put them on every kid they had just in case.

"We're not going to do anything!" Caine snapped "We're not cirus freaks!"

The Ken doll man looked at him with his cool eyes before shrugging, taking down some final notes and walking over to them. Instantly they both tense, ready to have something horrible down to them.

Then, without any warning, he back handed Diana.

Diana shrieked, mostly with shock, and fell down to the ground, hitting her shoulder hard. She clutched her cheek with one hand while the other grabbed her shoulder as she forced herself to sit up and glare at the man. It ached but it was nothing to what she suffered in the FAYZ and her anger towards him was mostly from embaressment.

While Caine jumped out the minute his hand made contact. He tried to tackle the man down and beat on him with the gloves, but they both moved quickly. Suddenly the mad scientist had his arms around Caine's waist and pulled him back while the Ken Doll pulled out a needle, he went to put it into Caine's neck but his anger was out of control, he rose his hand out of habit and sent the needle flying from his hand, smashing into the wall.

"Go take a note." The mad scientist grumbled quietly as he held Caine, "The gloves don't work on the stronger ones."

"I can't move." the Ken doll hissed, glaring down at Caine's gloved hands that were pointed directly at him, he was both shocked and frightened.

"Let him go ya little-" the mad scientist began, grabbing Caine's hands and trying to force them down when Diana appeared, shoving him down with both hands so he tumbled away and dropped Caine.

As the man fell down to the ground Diana hid behind of Caine. She would let him deal with them now. Caine rose his other gloved hand and pointed it at the other man. Soon both of them were frozen, stuck where they were and although Caine's arms were aching and he was beginning to strain as he tried to keep it up, he gave a very dark smirk, the kind he used to have all the time on and watched the two frightened men.

"You picked the wrong people to mess with." then he threw them against one another. Head first...

**...**

It was all on the TV. All on the news and reports. All on the radio, in the newspapers, in magazines and on the internet. Even posters being put up in the streets.

Mutants were dangerous.

Mutants were unwanted.

Mutants were being captured.

Mutants were being taken away.

Mutants being treated as freaks.

Reading about mutants in newspapers and magazines was worse than reading a horror book, and watching about it on TV was worse than a horror movie. Especially to a fellow mutant like Lana.

Her parents had kept her hidden away inside of there new home, they had taken her quite far and no one in her knew town knew she was a mutant but with so much fear and so much of it on TV her parents had grown very worried and so they had stopped her from going out with her new friends or even going to her new school.

If they hadn't figured it out by now then they were not far from it.

"Lana. You hungry?" her mother asked with obvious fake cheeriness.

"Yes, please!" Lana called with her own fake joy forced into her voice, keeping it steady as she turned her head to make sure her mother had not come into the living room.

Things had changed since she had come back. You would think Lana's parents would be happy, they were away from the mess, they had there daughter back, and they never had to worry about medical bills ever again! But that was not the case. Yes they had gotten away from the mess of the FAYZ and yes they did have there daughter back... But it wasn't the same.

They did not treat her the same, they forced themselves to be happy and they over did it in so many ways. Lana was a freak in there eyes. They had a freak for a daughter. They were caught between loving there daughter and being afraid of a freak. So they played the only card they really had. The one where you pretended that none of it had happened, where you pretended your daughter was normal and she never had powers and she never saved lives and she never even left to stay with her grandfather.

So if Lana was to use her power, on herself, her dog Patrick or her parents (she wasn't stupid enough to do it on anyone else outside the family) then she would get intro trouble. Her parents shouted at her and told her never to do that again! If she or Patrick where hurt then they were to go to her parents and act like any other _NORMAL_ child would do.

They didn't mean to, but they always spoke like that. Speaking to Lana as if she was truly a freak and as if she truly was not normal so she needed to act it while she could.

It had only been a few weeks since they had moved into there new home that Lana had learned exactly how she was supposed to act. She was suppose to play the cheery daughter and do everything _NORMALLY. _She was forbidden to do so otherwise.

"Turn that off." her father's voice came, it sounded almost dead.

"I was just-" Lana began, they didn't like her watching the news reports about the other mutants, it reminded them too much that Lana was not normal.

"TURN IT OFF!" he shouted so suddenly that Lana almost screamed and jumped in shock.

"What has she done?" her mother demanded, running into the room, a dish towel in one hand a knife in the other as if she might have to do something she would regret (really it was just because she was in the middle of cutting the meat).

Lana snatched up the controls and switched the news off. She stood up and tried to smile but the look on there faces were scaring her "I was just flicking through. It's nothing. Can we eat now?"

Her mother stared at her through very cold eyes, then she forced a very strained smile and nodded. Waving Lana to the kitchen.

Lana walked, Patrick bounding at her feet. Lana had no time to worry about the others in Perdido Beach, she could only worry on how easily her family was now falling apart.


	13. Chapter 13

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I have leant the Gone series to both of my mates! I am getting as many Gone fans as I can! That way there can be more fanfiction and fanart!_**

**_Thanks: _**_VanessaTemple: Wow thanks :D that really means a lot to me._

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><p><span>Chapter Thirteen<span>

"Have you learned anything new?" the man asked, be was a mysterious man but most people knew him as Jonathan Braike, he had been the brains behind the whole of the Lab and all of its operations. He had been the on to convince people to let him take all the children against there parents will and he had been the one to tell everyone that mutants were dangerous in the first place.

His goal was clear, he wanted to not only be able to replicate the mutant powers and use them in armys and for the general day because he was a very lazy man when it call came down to it, but he always wanted to construct weapons that took that power away from people and children, he wanted guns to stune there powers, as well as injections that could just make them go for good. There was too much power, these children should not be the ones to hold these abilities, at least not in his mind.

"A few things." One of his men said, looking through the information sent to him on his laptop. He did not need a name at the moment, he was just one of the many soilders that helped keep the mutants in tact. He was not important enough in Jonathan's mind.

"Examples!" Braike demaned, looking around sharply to glare at the man.

"The girl, Ellie, the one who can make pictures move?" he said, reading the report on the clipboard in front of him. He did not seem effected at being shouted at, "Well we have learnt she can make the pictures half come out of the paper or page before they just fall apart."

"Go on." Braike nodded.

"Nancy's co-operaiting. Wants to go home and we said she could if we got what we needed, so she is letting us take blood samples and more, so far nothing but the more that do as told the more chance we have of finding something out." he went on.

"And?"

"Most are stubborn..." he grunted, flicking through the pieces of paper "But some are more understanding."

"Have you found out anything new?" Baike demanded, turning around fully to glare at him.

"Well most are still saying they are normal. But without Diana Ladris' help we cannot tell. And even if she does agree we can't trust that she'll lie to us. Best to focus our attention on her for now." He said "Nearly all the kids told us exactly what her power is so we know she is offically a mutant that we cannot afford to lose."

Baike nodded, facing the camera screens again that were in each of the childrens rooms and focussing on them intently. Watching as each child cried, or paced the room, or beat on the doors, or just stared into space waiting, or the very few that had managed to force themselves to sleep.

"That Penny girl, the one we caught again, has had to be chained up. She's hurting herself." he explained, not that either cared how much a mutant hurt themself, they just need them for now, "Oh and that Taylor girl... She can vanish and appear a centermeter or so from where she was just standing but it wears her out. The gloves aren't working to there fullest."

"So It wasn't just that one boy." Baike growled, angry at Caine. He had sent two of his men to hospital but smashing there skulls against one another repeatedly. And then something strange happened.

Caine had just stopped, he stared at the bloody bodies and dropped them down to the ground, then he collapsed and started to whimper. The Diana girl seemed to know what was happened, she tried to comfort him but they had sent doctors in to drag her away and she refused to tell them why, one second, Caine was killer, and the next he was acting like a frightened little boy. Cowering away from them and screaming strange phrases like "Hunger In The Darkness."

"No. The stronger they are the less the gloves work." the man sighed then looked up.

"Well we will just have to make gloves even stronger than that." he smirked then added "I want you to put most of your attention in the Diana girl, to try and make some way we can tell who is who. And the Caine boy, who we can use since he seems to be the strongest of them all. At least for now."

"Yes sir." with that he left the room without looking back. Taking the silence as his dismissle.

Baike looked forward again and stared at one particular screen. It was of Caine, curled up in a corner of his room, shaking horribly, screaming for someone named "Sam". The records stated that he was his twin brother but also that he was a very powerful freak.

"He'll be joining you soon..." Baike smirked.

**...**

"I've been wandering around all day." Dekka sighed in annoyance, her legs were aching and she was almost as hungry as when she was in the FAYZ but she didn't want to all out complain to Sam like a little kid. She was not a kid, she was much more mature and so she knew she had a job to do "If we're going to hit the place then the back entrance is our best shot."

"Are you poitive about that?" Sam pressed, leaning forward in his seat to look her dead in the eye, "We only have one shot. We can't make any mistakes."

"Sam. I know we have a day left, and I know you want to keep yourself, and me, busy as much as possible for the rest of this day, but trust me. I am a hundred percent positive." Dekka nodded, trying not to blink as she looked him back in the eyes.

"Just... Let's look once more." Sam said with a hint of a plead and desperation in his voice.

"Fine." Dekka sighed, giving in to him like she normally would.

They climbed down from the tree and made there seperate ways around of the area, Sam going off to the left and Dekka going off to the right. There was not actually any kind of gate or anything around Perdido, but there were guards who were as good as a wall, they just had to find the best place to break through those guards. It was quite large and it took them a while before they got back together at the same spot again, it went around in a circle so at one point they crossed one another but they didn't stop to say hi. Dekka was even more tired by the end but as Sam had said, it passed time while they were waiting for Brianna to return. Since that was all they could do once they had found the best part to enter through.

The back way had the less amount of guards, and although they looked quite strong they were sure that even if it was just Sam, Brianna and Dekka, then they could take them down. Then they could get through, the hardest part would be finding the lab without getting caught by some of the guards patrolling around on the inside.

They could have made a plan, an idea of how things would go... But at the same time they couldn't do that without an idea of what they had to work with. They had to know what powers and what children would be with them because otherwise they might come up with a very confusing and hard plan for nothing!

Both of there minds were on Brianna but for very different reasons. Dekka was obviously because that she hoped the younger girl was OK and that she would return soon, maybe if the plan failed then they could go off and go back to the way they had been living before, while Sam's reasons were more selfish. He just hoped that she had managed to find at least one powerful person to come back and help them.

When the sun was just beginning to fall Dekka and Sam made camp, hidden under a tree by some bushes and took turns having a bit of shut eye starting with Dekka herself, not that she slept much but she tried to.

Just as Sam was about to turn and wake her up for her turn to take watch, he heard something and froze. It sounded like someone was sneaking up on them, or at least trying to. Sam got ready to burn whoever it was down to the ground before they even had a chance to scream when he saw a flash of there face and froze.

"Howard?" Sam gasped, jaw dropping open as the other boy smirked down at him.

"Sammy? What are you doing here?" Howard asked, getting on his knees and crawling towards him, a small smile on his lips but confusion was stuck in his eyes.

"What am_ I_ doing here? What about you?" Sam scowled.

"I asked first." he smirked, stopping just in front and Sam and cocking his head to the side, waiting for an answer.

"I'm here to help everyone, what else would I be doing! I'm going to get them out of the lab!" Sam hissed as quickly as he could, "Now what are you doing here?"

"Brianna came and she found Orc and me. Didn't tell us too much. Only said that she wanted us to come back here and wait for her. That it was a deal and we could ask for anything as long as we agreed to her terms." Howard shrugged.

"Is that all she told you?" Sam growled, he didn't want Brianna bringing back anyone who did not want to risk getting caught. Because there was a high risk of getting caught! And it was not fair, plus that half of them would walk off in the end anyway and they might try to take the more willing with them too.

"Pretty much." he shrugged "We weren't going to come but in the end we guessed that she might have some kind of idea. It was better than running and with Orc we couldn't exactly hide very well" then he stopped and looked like he was deep in thought, finally he scowled "So, I take it you're with her on this?"

"Yeah, we're breaking into the lab where they've taken everyone," Sam explained and ignored the look that crossed over Howard's face. It was a mix of shock, confusion and even a little bit of fear but who could blame him. Sam explained quickly about how he planned to free everyone and help them, not going into much detail since they still did not really have much of a plan of what they were going to do in the first place.

"... Let me guess, they've got Astrid, Pe-Tard and possibly Caine as well?" Howard said eventually after a very long moment of tense silence.

"So what if they have?" Sam frowned, suppressing the urge to blush..

"I just happen to notice, you are always more passionate when it's your friends and your family this is concerened." Howard smirked, shrugging like he knew all the facts.

"What does it matter?" Sam hissed, "The point is, I am trying to help everyone inside of there, freaks, none freaks, family and enemies. What are you and Orc doing? Besides running!"

Howard scowled but said nothing, since he had no defence. He knew he was not a hero and he honestly never really cared. As long as he was Orc's right hand man he would be fine. But he still didn't like the way that Sam protrayed him as a complete coward.

"If you want to help, then help. We are not going to make you, but if you don't want to help, then get out of my face and out of the way for those that do!" Sam growled.

Dekka suddenly woke with a start and nearly knocked her head on a low branch just beside of her. She looked around sharply, Sam's voice had unconsiously been getting louder and she was worried they were under attack. But she calmed down when she saw Howard and Sam glaring at one another, realizing the two boys were just getting in a disagreement.

"I take it Howard is here to help?" Dekka whispered, crawling up beside of them.

"I dunno." Sam shrugged then faced Howard "Are you?"

Howard glared at him before he sat up on his knees and puffed out his chest slight, tightening his jaw and trying to look more important that he actually was as he said "I'll have to talk to my man Orc."

"Well go and talk to him, we don't have time to wait around!" Sam snapped.

"..." Howard scowled at him one more time before turning and disappearing through the bushes once again.

"What use will they be? I mean, no offence but isn't Orc more trouble than he's worth?" Dekka whispered "He can't move fast and he isn't very smart."

"I know it's a big risk, but we need all the people we can get. And so far it seems that Orc is the only person Brianna could actually find." Sam sighed.

"Good point." Dekka yawned, stretching her arms up above her head, "Your turn to sleep."

"Thanks." Sam grinned weakly, trying to act like everything was OK. Hopeing she did not see how tense and afraid he really was. It was different now, they were going up against adults... It just seemed so much more serious for some reason.

Sam moved passed her to the spot that Dekka had just been in and lay down himself, he was not very tired but he had to at least try and sleep even if it was to keep himself busy for a few moments. Soon his eyes slid closed and he was gone without even trying.

He did not dream and it felt like seconds before he was being lightly shaken awake again. Looking up through squinted eye lids he found himself facing Brianna as she leaned over and grinned down at him. Her hair fell down and tickled his nose slightly but then she was gone and he slowly sat up, ignoring the ache that ran up and down his back from lying on a very uncomfortable surface.

"Morning." Brianna grinned, she was doing all her hair back up into a single pony tail.

"What did I miss?" he grumbled, sitting up and running some fingers through his hair, looking for leafs and twigs that might have gotten caught while he was lying down.

"I got two more people to help us!" Brianna said quickly, beaming at him, very proud with herself considering how hard they were to find. After all everyone else was in hiding.

"Where are they?" Sam frowned, looking around the area, it looked empty. Dekka was even missing as well.

"With Dekka and Howard." Brianna shrugged, tightening her pony tail and turning to face him, "I was told to come and get some rest but I am not very tired."

"And where are Dekka and Howard?" Sam frowned, slowly climbing to his feet and wipe away the rest of the sleep that was still in his eyes, growing impatient.

"Over there." she pointed off to a cloud of trees growing closely together.

Sam made sure he was balanced and then slowly began to stumble towards the trees, Brianna stood and hesitated, wondering if she should follow.

Sam gave a final yawn and pushed down a lower tree trunk to see passed, Howard, Dekka, a boy and a girl were all sitting around in a small group and whispering to one another. Sam frowned and went to step forward when his legs lifted up onto the ground and he almost smacked his head on one of the thicker tree trunks.

"Hay!" Sam snapped as he lifted up, and then, just as quickly as he rose, he dropped back down and landed on his feet lightly.

"Sorry, Sam!" Dekka said, walking over, "It's just for saftey in case anyone sneeks up on us."

"No offence Dekka but what will lifting them in the air do?" Sam grumbled, rubbing his head where he had hit the tree.

"It is suppose to stun them, then Brianna will come and deal with them. But she knew it was you so she just stayed where she was." Dekka shrugged "Come on, you two should join us now you've all rested."

When Brianna and Sam were sat down, joining the circle, Sam spotted a large mold of stone sitting by the tree and instantly recognised it as Orc, but he was either sulking or cold and so he had curled into a ball.

"So you're joining us?" Sam asked Howard.

"Thought we might as well. Orc wants to help out a few people he owes money to." Howard shrugged with a smirk.

"And you two?" Sam said, turning to face the girl and boy he did not know.

"This is Frankie." Brianna said quickly jumping in before the girls even had a chance to life her head, she pointing towards the girl, no more than nine or ten years old that looked about ready to collapse from exhaustion. "She can shut her eyes and see heat sources through walls."

"That will be helpful." Sam nodded at her and gave a small smile as the small girl in golden plaits looked very frightened, she gave a weak twitch that might have been a forced smile but then she ducked her head down again and continued to chew on the apple in her hands.

"And this is Henry." Dekka joined in, looking towards a scruffy boy that looked rather homeless with the ripped dirty clothes the long shaggy hair and the large bags under his eyes, "He can cut off one persons voice when he cocentrates." The boy gave a proper, excited smile and held a single finger up to his lips like a shh notion and pretended to blow. He looked about a year or so younger than Sam himself.

Sam nodded and added "Good." but he didn't see how that one would be very helpful at all. Not unless the guard was _alone _and by the looks they all worked in at least pairs. Then he faced everyone "We probably wont get very many more people, so how about we start on a plan."

"Do you have one?" Howard scowled.

"Actually yes, I thought of it while I was sleeping." Sam smiled at them all and said very clearly "We're going to surrender."


	14. Chapter 14

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: My mate, Gothic-Wolfie, has now done three pieces of Gone art work! Search her on DA (she's done a pick of Drake, A pic of Diana and Caine and another pic of Drake and Nerezza) Please comment, she needs them!_**

**_Thanks: _**_Arrowkid21, thank you again!  
><strong>VanessaTemple:<strong> Thank you so much! That really means a lot to me!  
><strong>KillCaine01: <strong>Thanks! Glad you like the character and glad you liked the story!  
>And thank you to all those on facebook who commented!<br>**Joe Mckee, Rachel Korn, Michael Rooney, Niamh O'Mahony, Sarah Cole.**  
><em>

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><p><span>Chapter Fourteen<span>

Howard was pretty sure that Sam had gone insane. He kept insisting that during Sam's nap somehow his brain just broke and that he was officially mentally ill. He stated it constantly to the others as they all prepared to go to the front gates and give themselves up. But no matter what he said, the others trusted Sam more than anyone else.

No one else had a problem with it, or at least not after Sam explained in more detail of why they were going to give up to the enemie. They were a bit nervous but they hid it well as they found as many places as they could to hide any sharp weapon or heavy object that they could. They had fought in the FAYS and so they knew when it was time to push ages aside and grow up.

Dekka tied a rope around her waist and Brianna managed to stick some small sharp tooth pick like sticks in her hair while Frankie stuffed her bra with rocks and Henry cleaned and hid a bomerang like knife made out of sticks in his mouth like wooden braces.

Even Orc has agreed to go along with it, leaving Howard with no other room to complain, since he did almost everything Orc did. So he grabbed a few small stones and jammed them in his shoes along with a large pieces of wood that he pretended to use a crutch.

"And if they strip search us before we get in?" Howard scowled as he tried to get comfortable in his shoes.

"Henry has the one in his mouth." Sam shrugged "Someone else copy him."

Brianna quickly did the same, putting the wood around of her teeth almost like a set of strange crocked braces. It was harder for her because she kept moving or grinning and the wood snapped in her mouth. She got a few splinters in her gums but nothing too serious, in the end Frankie put the other piece in her mouth and Brianna settled with hiding a metal bar she found in her waist band beside of her leg.

"Is everyone ready?" Sam asked, facing them all.

"As ready as we'll ever be." Dekka shrugged in that cool way she had.

"Then let's move." Sam nodded.

They all ducked down and moved towards the main road that led into Perdido Beach. Just before they went out Sam once again checked that everyone else was ready to do this. Then, Sam rose his hands up into the air, in a sign of surrender. The others all copying him. Then they stepped out and called towards of the guards to warn them that they were coming so they wouldn't be shot on sight.

**...**

After a long while, Caine slowly raised his head up from his knees to look around the room where he had been crouching. The switch was finally passing. His eyes had to blink a few times before his vision cleared properly. And even then he was confused as to where he was and what was happening to him.

Then he climbed up to his feet, using the wall behind of him for support. Slowly the memories from before came flodding back into his mind so fast that it gave him a painful head ache. Reaching up he gripped either side of his head, covering his ears, and moand loudly.

He remembered it. Smashing there heads together. He saw the blood and as he watch it grow, he just switched. He only just about remembered hearing Diana cling to him tightly and then watching as Diana and him were dragged apart from one another, Diana being ripped from the room before Caine was also taken and literally thrown into a room. They looked the same so he was not sure if it was the same as the one had he had been before or if they moved it.

Shivering, he leaned against the wall and let his head drop, staring at the ground, everything else that might or might not have happened was completely black. Just like all the times when he was with Connie and Sam, he could not remember what he was doing when he had switched.

Sam... Connie... Who would have thought that Caine would honestly miss the two of them.

Shutting his eyes he waited for a few moments before he opened them up and calmed down again. Then he opened his eyes and slowly made his way towards of the door, there was no real hope of him opening it and getting out but it was better than him sitting around and moping like some pathetic baby.

As he reached the door he knocked loudly on the surface with his knuckles. No one responded.

"Open up!" Caine tried to shout but it came out strange. His throat felt rough and scratchy.

Angrily he lifted his foot and kicked at the door hard. Big mistake. His foot then began to throb painfully, making him gasp and yell, falling backwards onto his behind as he clutched his foot in both hands. He had not meant to kick it as hard as he did.

"Ow!" he gasped as the throbbing slowly began to ease.

Lying back on the floor he sighed and squinted up at the ceiling above him. He supposed he should feel more upset. More alone and at least a tad more emotional. But he wasn't.

Instead he found himself feeling... bored?

A weird feeling to have while he was locked up in a labratory.

**...**

Niamh couldn't see a thing as, they had blind folded her eyes and were dragging her down a corridor. Her lovely blond hair, used to be so glossy and beautiful, was now a mess. Greasy and sticking out in stiff angles over her shoulders. If any of her friends or family had seen her now they would have laughed her out of the room!

The guards had come and got her seconds ago, not explaining what they were doing with her or why.

They dragged her all the way to the end of the corridor and then she heard the loud clack of a door being unlocked. Then she was being pushed in and the same clacking sound as the doors were being locked again.

Niamh sat up and ripped the bandage off from her eyes, looking around. There were three other men standing in the room.

None of them looking friendly.

And just afterwards was around about when everyones else in there cells, heard the screaming.

**...**

Of course they were patted down and most of there weapons were found. Sam tried not to curse as each was taking away from them, but then they were all having heavy gloves strapped around there hands and being loaded into the back of the van with plenty of weapons left on there person. Orc had to have a while van just for him and Howard kept glancing out to make sure he was OK. Otherwise all of them sat there, staring at one another and nodding in pure silence as the van started up and drove them away.

No one spoke, they couldn't in case someone was listening in on them. Obviously they had taken everyone by surprise by suddenly giving themselves up. But the guards just assumed that they knew they were not enough, or that they wanted to be cured from there mutation.

The van came to a stop and the doors were thrown open, guards reaching forward to grab the children and march them into the large building. They didn't even get a chance to look around before they were being dragged down an elevator and into a long plain corridor.

Sam looked around at the doors when one of them was thrown open and he was tossed inside.

"Sam!" Dekka shouted and yelled as she was thrown into her own room.

"Shut it." a guard grunted, dragging Brianna away.

"You don't have to be so rough!" Howard growled.

They ignored him and he found his face meeting the floor as he was thrown into a room. The doors was snapped shut behind them and then there was nothing but pure silence.

Sam took a breath and stood up. They planned to wait at least ten minutes (counting it in there head) before they would make there move. They needed to wait, let the guards think they were giving up and just going to sit and sulk, but they also could not wait too long because it was dangerous for there health! God knows what these men were going to do with them!

He walked over to the door and sat down again, burrying his face in his knees like he had already given up hope. It might have been a bit obvious but Sam didn't know how to act without _over_ acting.

But then the doors opened and Sam's neck shot up. He didn't expect them to come for him yet! He only just got here!

Braike stepped into the room. He smirked down at Sam and walked over, barely blinking. He smirked down at Sam and stopped just a few feet away from him.

"Who are you?" Sam growled.

"Don't worry about me. Let's focus on you. Sam Temple. Son of Connie Temple and older twin brother of Caine Soren who was adopted shortly after he was born. Reasons are unknown. Both the twins developed mutant powers while in the... What is you all called it? The FAYZ? Yes I believe so. And then you both took charge."

Sam stared up at him in shock. How did he know all that?

"I have been doing a lot of research on a few of the main mutants." he explained and pulled out a clipboard, "Sam Temple and Caine Soren, two of the most powerful mutants. Diana Ladris, who can read peoples power levels. Drake Merwin, unsure of what exactly he is. And Naimh O'Mahony who can take peoples powers and use them herself, only she is not nearly as strong as anyone else. You are the top people we are paying attention to."

Sam said nothing. He hadn't heard of Naimh but there were a lot of freaks he didnt know by name.

"Your brother has been crying for you. He was very agressive one moment and then he just fell apart." Braike shrugged and leaned down to stare at him with cold eyes, "Why is that?"

"Like I'd tell you anything." Sam snarled, standing up and pressing himself against the wall.

"You really wont talk?" Braike sighed, looking down at him.

"Never."

"Alright." he nodded, turned and left the room.

Sam blinked, for a moment he thought that was it. That it was over. But then a guard appeared and grabbed Sam, pulling him to his feet and dragging him from the room. He dragged him down the corridor and after Braike. Braike didn't look back but he walked with his head high.

"Where are you taking me?" Sam shouted, hoping the others could hear him and realize the plan was either on hold or they had to do it alone.

No one said anything. They ignored him and dragged him, barely letting his feet hold him up any longer.

Then they stopped. This door was different to the others. More locks with a large square of glass near the top that was blurred and could not see through clearly. But Sam could just see a persons head showing slightly.

Braike opened the door and pushed Sam ahead of him. He almost fell flat on his face as he stumbled.

"Sam!"

He looked up and saw Caine was sitting in the chair, hands strapped down as well as his ankles with an IV sticking in his arm. He was sitting beside a long hospital like bed and looked like he had not slept in days. There were bags under his eyes and his bottom lip was bitten raw. He looked a mixture of angry, confused and scared.

"Caine..." Sam blinked, forcing himself to his feet and running over.

He heard the door shut but ignored it and tried to get the straps off. They were done up tightly and wouldn't budge no matter how hard he pulled at them. Caine stared at him and said nothing, even after he had broken off a very small corner of his nail and swore nastily.

"It is pointless. So why don't you take a seat and hold still." Braike said, pulling up a second IV and a second chair.

"No way!" Sam shouted, her rose his hands but stopped when he saw the gloves.

"Exactly. You cannot fight me without your powers. So why don't we be good and sit." he smirked.

"Never." Sam growled.

Braike smirked and moved faster than Sam expected. He grabbed Sam's shoulder and threw him into the chair, he wrapped a single strap around one of his arms and then stepped back as Sam kicked out. He shouted and struggled to get free but something about the strap was tighter than normal and held him there.

"Now then. Sit still." Braike smirked, "You realize, I would be good if I was you. Now that we have two children with great power we could do much more dangerous things to one of you."

"What do you mean?" Sam snarled.

"Di-ssec-tion." he whispered, stretching the words out with a very dark grin.


	15. Chapter 15

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I can't decide if I like or hate Astrid! She is an annoying cow but at the same time... I dunno, I just think she has gotten better as the books go on._**

**_Arrowkid21 _**_thank you! And glad you think it is getting better! Sorry for the delay, I'm doing a few stories and I just had a smidge of writters block!  
><strong>KillCaine01 <strong>Thanks! And glad you like her! :D! Really glad you love it so much! I'm not sure about going into Braike's passed, I never had a plan apart from him being a evil dick! And finally! Cool new name! :D  
><strong>Atchair <strong>thanks for checking it out! And thank you so much! I Love your reviews! And I don't think I will go much into Braike. You are almost as sadistic as I am when it comes to the Temple twins!  
><strong>Mia<strong> Thanks!  
><strong>MotoKia217 <strong>Thanks for the review! And don't worry about asking questions!  
><strong>mad modanisuto<strong> Thanks and I'm glad you are enjoying it!_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Fifteen<span>

Sam roared and shouted at him, swearing as loudly as he could and spitting in his face while Caine just stared, eyes widening in pure shock. It was almost like he couldn't actually believe this Braike man was serious. That he was waiting for him to shout "Joke" at any moment.

"Be quiet or I may have to sebdate you." Braike sighed, almost sadly as he shook his head like an unsatisfied teacher.

"You are crazy! You can't do that! Cutting us up like a couple of frogs? We're kids! We're human kids! With human families! Normal human ki-" Sam shouted, but Braike cut him off by back handing him across the face.

"Don't you dare call yourself normal or a human! Because I assure you that you are neither." Braike growled, then smirked "You are freaks. Mutants. Aliens. Monsters. You are no where near a normal human being. As for your families, who knows what they are. They could be as freaky and mutated as you two."

"Don't talk about my mum like that." Sam growled, "Or us!"

"No mention of your father?" Braike sneered, "Who is he by the way? Or did your mother never tell you? Maybe because she secretly knew... he was a freak!"

Sam scowled but Caine did not look very bothered. What did he care about what this man said about his parents? Especially when he hardly knew them.

"Now then. To chose who gets to be my experiment. You two will go through a few normal test. The first person to give me any real trouble will be my... What did you call it? Frog." Braike chuckled, he reached to a small tray and picked up a needle, "First I want some blood."

Sam said nothing. He was trying to think of a plan. Some way they could get out of it!

Braike leaned over and gently stuck the needle into Caine's forearm. He drew some blood and then stepped backwards again with a smile spread out on his lips. Caine did not move, he sat there and watched him, he didn't even wince when Braike stuck the needle in.

He used a whole new needle for Sam and as hard as it was, Sam held still as well. He took a breath and glared down at Braike, pulling the ugliest scowl he could, down at the man, trying to show him just how much he really hated him.

"Good boys." Braike beamed down at them.

Sam resisted the urge to try and bite him and suppressed a growl like the dogs Braike thought they were while Caine continued to stare ahead, scowling but saying nothing. He was too deep in his own thoughts.

"Now... Hold still" he picked up another needle. While the two before were now full of Sam and Caine's blood but the one he had now had a clear liquid in with a very slight touch of green in it. He walked over and shoved Sam's head to the side, exposing his neck.

"Let go!" Sam yelped in shock.

"Be quiet." Braike said deadly, "You don't want to be the one I see inside of, do you?"

Sam went silent and swallowed hard. He shut his eyes and tried to avoid wincing, he did not want to give Braike any kind of satisfaction.

After Braike had emptied the contence into Sam to do whatever it was supposed to do, he put a dark blue liquid inside of Caine's neck. Neither had any idea of what it was going to do to them, and that just made it all the more terrifying!

"What now?" Caine suddenly mumbled, "What are you going to do to us now?"

"You'll see..." Braike chuckled.

Caine scowled and glared up at him but fell back into his silence. They watched Braike as he put the needles in seperate small plastic containers and took them to the door. He handed them to some people outside, shut the door and faced them again.

"So why don't you tell me what happened to you, Mr Soren?" Braike asked, pretending to be polite and pretending to treat Caine as equal when he really thought the boy was no better than a bug under his foot. He walked over and leaned against one of the benches, crossing one leg over the other and crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at them.

"Huh?" Caine blinked.

"You beat my guards. And then stopped and changed into a whole new person. Why?" Braike asked, leaning forward towards him.

"What?" Caine blinked, mostly out of surprise.

"It is none of your business!" Sam shouted sharply.

"I was not asking you..." Braike said coldly and walked over to Caine, grabbing his chin and forcing him to face him. "Is it something to do with your mutation? Tell me!"

Caine scowled and firmly pressed his lips together. He stared at him and tried not to let his body shiver at Braike's cold touch.

"Fine, have it your way." Braike shrugged, he stared at the two of them. "You know you are both quite rude and ruthless..."

Neither said anything.

"So I might as well just pick one of you, and the other I cut there tongue out." he smirked nastily. He stepped forward and place his hands on there heads, leaning forward. "I want to know more about what happened to you in there..." he said, patting Caine's head. Then he let his eyes turn to focus on Sam, "So looks like you're the lucky little boy!"

Stepping back Braike went to the door and opened it. Two men, who had been waiting, walked inside and looked at him for directions of what to do next.

"Take this one back to his room." he said pointing at Caine. "And get the doctor in so we can start the procedure straight away."

"What? You can't do this!" Sam screamed as they walked over and released Caine from his straps, "My mother could sue! Hell, don't you have to ask your superior for permission?"

"What is his name again?" Braike asked one of the guards casually as the other dragged a kicking and screaming Caine from the room.

"Sam Temple." the guard blinked.

"No, Sam Temple was one of the boys who got away from us. He went wandering in the woods and no one has seen him since." Braike said proudly and then paused, "Understand?"

"Yes sir!" The guard grinned, catching on.

"Good. Spread the word." Braike said, turning his back to him, "You may go."

The guard nodded again, turned around, and left the room. Sam stared up at Braike. For the first time he honestly felt afraid!

"You can't do this..." Sam growled.

"Watch me..." Braike sneered.

"Stop!" Sam shouted as he set up the metal bench in the middle of the room and then went back to Sam.

Braike ignored him and stared at Sam, probably considering the best way to get him up and onto the table. He then back handed Sam hard across the face and quickly unstrapped him from the chair. The smack was hard and unexpected, making Sam blink and feel dizzy as he was picked up and thrown onto the bench.

The wind was knocked out of him but he tried to force himself to kick out and sit up. But Braike just hit him again, knocking him back down onto the bench and giving Braike enough time to strap one of his legs down and both of his arms. By the time Sam was able to fight back it was too late.

His breath came in short, frightened gasps as he struggled. He stared down at his gloves, maybe he could burn them off... but if it bounced back and burnt his own hands then it would be pointless. He thought of sweet talking his way out of it but Caine was the one who was good at charming people. And if he screamed then not only would no one come to his aid but he might knock him out...

God Sam hoped he knocked him out before doing anything to him! He didn't want to see or feel it!

Sam had honestly never been more afraid in his whole life.

**...**

The guard passed them almost three times, and each time Astrid clutched Little Pete closer to her chest.

He began to wriggle, annoyed, and tried to concentrate on his game, but his older sister was making it almost impossible. He whined a few times and Astrid quickly released to "shh" him. When he was free he would go quiet and happily play his game.

Astrid knew she should stop clinging to Pete so tightly but she was afraid and needed something to cling to.

She had seen them bring in Sam. Of course she could not see inside from so far away where she had been hiding but she knew there were other children in there and it made her all the more afraid. She had been unable to get out to her family. Every exit had guards around and she could not find the part where they agreed to meet.

Meaning she was trapped inside of Perdido Beach and she was so very alone...

Resisting the urge to cry, Astrid turned and ducked further into the library. It had been the only place she could think of to hide. Adults were able to roam free, so the librarian came in as normal, but apart from that everyone was too afraid to do casual studying and shopping. They stayed in there homes so Astrid could hide in the corner, just bellow the windows so they could not see her, without worrying.

Astrid looked up and watched the librarian locking the doors. Then she turned around and began to walk home.

"... Petey... Stay here." Astrid whispered, setting Pete down, "Do not move. Please do not move."

When Pete did as told, mostly because he was too involved in his game, Astrid turned around and crawled towards of the desk. She kept down and froze at every little sound she heard that was coming from outside. Soon she was crawling behind and was able to reach up, pulling the phone down and lying it on the floor beside of her.

Astrid had no idea who to call, so she dialed the police.

The first person who answered was clearly anti freak. The minute Astrid suggested that the capture of freaks against there will was wrong, the woman demanded to know whether Astrid was one of them and if she was then that she should turn herself in.

Hanging up and rubbing her eyes furiously, Astrid tried again. She was crying weakly now. She had not slept properly in days, she had not eaten or drunken either since most of what she found went to Little Pete to keep him from screaming or from cyring and giving there position away.

The next policeman was sypathetic but explained that there was nothing he could do.

"You could call more important people!" Astrid hissed, "Please, these are children! It is wrong! Call some people! Get someone! Please! What if it was your child! We didn't ask for this!"

There was a long silence...

"I'll see what I can do."

Then the ring tone.

Astrid sniffed and hung up. She didn't know any other phone calls and all the police would do would say they didn't care or tell her there was nothing she could do. No one could, or if they could then they wouldn't, help her.

Curling into a tight ball, Astrid burried her face into her knees and tried to keep her crying as quiet as possible...

A click of the door made Astrid cut silent so fast it was like someone had pressed mute button on her. She stared ahead, her eyes wide and frightened as the tears dripped down her cheeks. She waited and soon enough she heard a soft clattering sound as the heavy doors were pushed open over uneven wooden surfaces of the floor.

Trying not to gasp, Astrid lay down on her stomach and looked under the tiny gap at the bottom of the desk. She saw two sets of feet, standing in the doorway. Then she saw Little Pete sitting in the corner of the room, still under the window. If either of the two people turned around then they would see him.

Thinking fast, Astrid crawled to the edge of the desk and peeked around. As soon as she saw there faces she pressed her back against the desk and slapped both of her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming or gasping aloud. Her knees were drawn to her chest and she could feel herself beginning to shake uncontrollably.

Drake Merwin smirked as he looked around the library. Astrid did not recognise Raven but from the smirk on her own lips showed she was not to be trusted either.

"Where is she?" Raven whispered. "Are you sure she's in here?"

"Positive. I saw her stupid blond head bobbing along." Drake sneered. Raven had made sure that the guards were busy with a rumoured freak down the street.

Raven looked around and stopped, she frowned and then blinked. She tapped Drake's shoulder softly and pointed to the main desk. The phone cord was lying right across the desk and dropping down. There was no phone...

Drake smirked and pushed Raven back behind of him. He walked over, moving as slowly as he could so as not to make a loud noise.

When he reached the desk he placed his human hand on the desks wooden surface and leaned right over sharply. "BOO!"

He stopped. There was no one there.

Angrily he turned to glare at Raven when he stopped. Little Pete was sitting in the corner of the room, just playing with his gameboy.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here..." Drake smirked and took a step forward.

"Drake!" Raven shouted.

Before she could help him, Astrid had stood up from the side of the desk where she had crawled around, hiding right under his nose, and grabbed the largest book she could find lying on the side. It made a loud thunk noise againts Drake's head and he shouted as he fell forward. He turned to whip her but she had already grabbed a flower pot and thrown it at him.

A crash echoed through the room and Astrid darted passed the desk, racing for Little Pete. She had to protect him of course.

Drake was too stunned to stop her, rubbing at his bruised and cut face he spat some blood from his mouth, trying to get the dirt out of his hair. But Raven wasn't.

She held her hands up, pointing them directly at Astrid and smirked. Soon the blond girl stumbled and clutched her throat... She couldn't breath. She was trying but nothing entered her throat. Out of the corner of her eye Astrid saw Raven and instantly knew it was her. Forcing her feet to move she fell down beside of Pete and grabbed him, trying to move away from Raven so she could breath.

"Don't kill her!" Drake hissed as he climbed up to his feet again.

"I won't." Ravem growled, watching Astrid closely.

As soon as her eyes rolled into the back of her head and Astrid fell down to the ground, unconsious, she let the air back into her lungs again.

"What now?" Raven asked.

"The guards are coming. Let them deal with her." Drake smirked, "Remember, our job is just to get more freaks in the lab."

They didn't even look back at Astrid before they swung the door open wide and darted from the library, the moved too quickly in the dark to even be seen.

Soon guards filled the large room and found Astrid, lying unconsious with one hand resting on Pete's knee and Pete, completely ignoring her and playing on his gameboy happily. They barely spoke to one another as they moved forward to take the two away.


	16. Chapter 16

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: Had a bit of fun doing the end of this chapter! By the way, it may seem like it is nearing an end, but I plan to keep this story going for a bit longer! Even if the storyline takes a slight change. (Probably go back to normal life with Caine as slightly insane)._**

**_Arrowkid21 _**_thank you! I know how you feel:L!  
><strong>Atchair<strong> thank you! O_O well then we will see who can be more sadistic to Caine! (because he is the person I will be meanest too :D poor guy!)! And O_O NOT THE BUTTERFLY *grabs butterfly net and bug spray* I will kill him for what he did to my Gin...Yeeeaaah I can honestly say Braike doesn't see Sam in that way:L He's a sick man but not that sick! _

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Sixteen<span>

"You... can't..." Sam gasped, trying to rock his head back and forth so Braike could not place the mask over his lips and knock him unconsious. Anything to stall him. Maybe a plan would jump into his mind or someone would appear and save him if he stalled long enough.

"Hold still!" Braike snapped sharply, grabbing his chin and forcing him to face upwards.

"Are you sure about this?" even the doctor who had come in moments ago was looking uneasy about cutting Sam up like an animal.

"Just do it!" Braike snapped, covering Sam's mouth with the mask.

"No..." Sam hissed, holding his breath.

Just as the gas began to fill the mask and it looked like it would be the end for him , there was a loud bang against the door. Braike pulled away from him and turned to frown at the door in surprise. The doctor took a sharp step back from the table, like he didn't care who was outside, just that they knew he was not a willing part of this.

Another bang made Braike jump. Sam twisted his head and knocked the mask from his lips.

"What is going on out there?" Braike roared towards the door.

The door swung open and, before Braike could react, Orc had grabbed him... Of course he could not actually get through the door, so he just stuck his arm in and grabbed him by the throat, literally dragging him into the corridors.

"What the..." the doctor gasped, spun around and ran. There were no exits so Sam had no idea where he was going or what he was going to hide behind but he did not care.

"Step back!" Dekka demaned, pushing into the room and closely followed by Brianna and Howard.

"I can't." Orc growled, keeping his hold on Braike.

"Sam! You OK?" Brianna demaned, appearing beside of him and tearing at his straps.

"I'm fine. Help me out of this thing." He said, though he didn't need to since they were already helping him sit up and climb off of the bench. "Where are Frankie and Henry?" Sam asked.

"They are just outside standing watch." Brianna explained.

"Good, we need to free everyone else, but not in the ramble that they did before. We need to do it organised and carefully sneak out." Sam explained.

They all nodded there heads when Orc called Sam's name. "What do we do with him?" he waved Braike around in the air.

"Tie him up." Sam said instantly.

"You won't get away with this! You freak!" Braike hissed.

"Knock him out if you can..." Sam growled, pushing passed and into the corridor again.

"With pleasure!" Orc grinned, nastily, down at Braike.

There was a loud bang as Sam turned his back to him but then Braike was unconsious, they tossed him back into the room and locked the door with Braike's own key. Frankie and Henry were waiting for him, just as they said they would be, both shaking and Frankie looked close to tears, but otherwise they were OK.

"OK, we need to do this carefully." Sam insisted, we need to try and get as many people out without being caught as well as we can. "If we do this then it will give us a head start as we try and run for it."

"Collecting a bunch of mutant freaks and sneaking around will NOT be easy." Dekka noted.

"I know, we'll split up into three groups. Dekka, Brianna and me will be in charge. Howard, you and Orc try and get as many of the guards unconsious and in cells as you can without causing a fuss. Frankie, go with Dekka, Henry, go with Brianna." Sam instructed, thinking fast.

"What about you, Sam?" Brianna blinked.

"I'll be fine on my own." Sam nodded. "But I am stressing that we cannot get caught. If one of you is seen then do not make a fuss. Let them lock you up and we'll just unlock you again."

"But we only have Braike's key!" Dekka stressed, "We can't use the same key if we split up and what if that key doesn't work on every door!"

"Look! We don't have much time! Someone could walk around that corner any second! And we don't exactly have any other plan! See if you can steal another key off a guard, or just reasure all the kids and get as many of the guards gone as possible." Sam snapped, loosing his patients.

"Fine." Dekka said, she trusted Sam but she was still very unhappy.

"Then let's go." Sam turned and walked down the corridor, he was shaking and he looked back only once to see everyone going in different ways, Brianna and Henry followed Dekka and Frankie for a moment before taking a small right.

Orc and Howard had probably dealt with a lot of the guards just to get to Sam, but he had no idea how big this place really was, meaning there could be a hundred guards! They would have to be careful when looking around corners and, since they were all still wearing those stupid gloves, they could not use there powers.

Darting down the corridor, Sam needed to find a guard on his own to see about stealing a key. Otherwise he was useless.

Ducking down, he was nearly caught a dozen times just by looking around a corner. The guards all seemed pretty busy but they were very alert and seemed to be twisting there heads around to watch every end. He ran back and forth, trying to find a way to find if there was anyway he might be able to trick a guard on there own since none walked around that way themselves.

Sam leaned against a wall and took a breath, he tried to clear his mind just as he heard some of the guards talking behind of him.

"Where'd you find this one?" one of the guards voices said.

"Library. She and her brother had been hiding out for a while and we finally caught her, unconsious." he explained.

"Stupid freak." snorted the first guard, "You got a name for her?"

"Astrid Ellison." Sam's insides froze.

He stuck his head, slowly, around the corner. Sure enough, Astrid was hanging over one of the guards shoulder, unconsious, with Little Pete being pulled along behind of her, so involved in his game that he did not realize he and his sister were being taken in.

Sam took a deep breath and stared at them. Of course he wanted to dart across and knock those guards down as hard as he could. But then what? He was just a kid and they were grown guards that were trained to handle anything. He couldn't even burn that stupid grin off there stupid smug faces at catching another mutant. And he wasn't even sure Astrid _WAS _a mutant! Diana admitted to reading her but apart from that Astrid had never done anything overly weird.

Swallowing hard, Sam frowned and bit his lower lip. The first person he would want to rescue would be Astrid...

But she was unconsious... He had to wait for her to wake up. There was no way he would be able to carry her out.

Ignoring his own selfish desires, Sam turned around and walked the other way, trying to memories the room that Astrid was currently being set down in. He moved as quickly as he could and tried not to slam his feet down on the corridor in case it echoed back down to the guards.

Meanwhile Brianna was having a hard time herself, but only because she was eager to run ahead and look around but she had to stay back and keep Henry company. She couldn't leave him in case he done something stupid but he was just _soooooooo slllllooooowwwww_. Even with the gloves on her hand she still felt the need to run. Just because she didn't shoot across the whole place like normal didn't mean she wanted to move as slow as a zombie!

She darted ahead every now and then and darted back to tell him if the coast was clear just to get rid of some of the extra energy that she had on her and settle her sprinting needs. But Henry did not seem to want to speed up at all. He even stalled slightly as he said he grew a stitch in his side.

"Come on..." Brianna growled under her breath before running back to him. He was leaning against the wall, taking another break and holding his side as he panted heavily.

"This... is... so... hard..." Henry moaned.

"Just, take your breath while you walk!" Brianna insisted.

"I can't! I have a stitch!" Henry gasped.

"Oh come on!" Brianna growled, Henry blinked at her in surprise.

"Sorry?" Henry blinked.

"Nevermind. Look, this is taking such a long time. Maybe you should hide out, then I can shoot around the whole area and-"

"No. You can't." Henry said, looking shocked, "You have to be careful, you make a lot of noise now you can't move so fast and there is no where to hide! We were told to stick together!"

"OK, OK!" Brianna scowled, "You ready yet?"

"Yeah." he nodded, standing up and stretching, "Let's move."

And just then Dekka appeared, grinning. "How you two doing?" she whispered.

"Dekka?" Brianna blinked, "What are you doing here? Where's Frankie?"

"Just behind me. We managed to get a few kids with us, but if we get anymore then we will be spotted for sure!" Dekka explained.

"Give us some." Brianna shrugged, "We don't know how to get a key off anyone."

"OK." Dekka nodded when suddenly she heard a yell.

"KIDS!" a guard shouted.

"Damn!" Brianna gasped and ran at him. She meant to knock him down and run away but she was slow and just ran right into his arms so that he could pin her down against the wall with one hand, the other flying towards his gun.

Dekka growled like a wild animal and ran at him, she used the gloves to lift up and smack the guard hard across the head. He dropped down and released Brianna but a dozen more guards were making there way down with guns already in there hands.

"RUN!" Dekka shrieked, forgetting Sam's warning, pulling Brianna to her feet.

They all darted the same way, half a dozen kids appearing out of no where to join them. They charged down the corridor, pushing passed unsuspecting guards and giving them only a small chance to get away from them. Then the guards began to shoot, a few kids fell down at once and a few fell down becuase they tried to help the wounded or because they were just knocked down.

"That is it!" Brianna charged down the corridor until she saw a pair of guards, she used as much of her strength as she could to tackle them down and snatched the guns from them, "Time for a taste of there own medicine!"

Throwing one of the guns to Dekka the two girls turned on the guards and began to shoot. It was hard to work the guns with the heavy gloves on, but they managed. The guards on the ground were the first to be knocked out before they began to attack the ones chasing them.

A few kids followed there pusuit and stole guns from passing guards, the rest just kept running too afraid to join in. Nancy was picked right off the ground and screamed until Dekka shot the guard right in the side of the neck.

"Run!" Dekka snapped at Nancy.

"We can't keep this up!" Brianna shouted, following the kids and loosely aiming over her shoulder.

"Well I refuse to go down without a fight!" Dekka roared, stopping and aiming at a few guards.

"Dekka! We have to get out now! While we can!" Brianna insisted.

"Sam told us to get as many out!" Dekka growled.

"He also told us not to get caught!" Brianna gasped.

"Fine, we'll compromise!" Dekka shouted as the rounded another corner. "You get as many out as you can. I am going to stay!"

"Dekka!" Brianna looked shocked while they ducked passed a small set of unsuspecting guards.

Frankie took this chance to steal one of the guns left laying around and fell back to help Brianna and Dekka shoot the ones chasing them.

"Brianna go! Frankie! Stay with me!" Dekka said, she looked at Brianna while they ran, "Get out now!"

"But-"

"Now! I need you to get out! I need you to be free." Dekka shouted, not telling her exactly why she need to know that Brianna was safe. Instead she lied and shouted, "You get them out! At least then we will have gotten some of them free! And I can stay and do what Sam wanted me to do!"

"No!" Brianna scowled, she looked ahead, "Henry and Frankie! You get the others out of here!"

"I'll stay too!" someone said, appearing at there side. Brianna blinked. Penny ignored the stares they gave her and spun, shooting at the guards.

"Why are you staying?" Dekka demanded.

"Does it matter?" Penny glared, "Let's just get these b*st*rds!"

Nodding, they watched as those without the guns ran ahead. Only a few stayed behind and even then Dekka could only count about two other apart from her Penny and Brianna. They watched the guards. They were getting closer but they had stopped shooting them. They planned to corner then, not wanting to waste there amo.

"Stop and fire!" Dekka said, they spun around and held there ground as they aimed and shot.

Most the darts did not hit as they were too heavily padded, but quite a few of them had small open spots and hit the ground hard, being trampled by there friends and there co-workers. It was satisfying for all of them to hear the yells as some tripped or the screams as some were hit.

"Take that you sons of bitches!" Penny shrieked with glee, her eyes were so alive that it frightened Brianna a bit. "I'm running out!" Penny said.

One of the boys with then, Eric, ran forward suddenly and threw his whole body at the guards. he knocked a good few of them down and his twin brother, Edward quickly followed, knocking a few more down. As the guards began to climb to there feet, Edward and Eric snatched some guns and ran.

"Good job!" Brianna laughed mostly out of nerves.

"Move!" Dekka snapped, a few of them were aiming there own weapons again.

Sprinting down the long corridors again, the twins were shaking horribly and Edward was crying weakly and silently, but mostly from the shock of what they had just done. People would be very surprised as to what they were capable of doing when the situation really came down to it.

They finally came to a stop as they rounded a corner and listened. The corridors were silent. The others were somewhere else and they had lost the guards. Together they began to regain there breath.

"What now?" Penny gasped, clutching a stitch in her side.

"Go back." Dekka said suddenly, taking deep slow breathes, "The same way we came."

"What?" Penny snapped, hissing to keep her voice down, "Are you crazy?"

"No. We have to help those they shot. They'll be too busy searching for the others to collect the ones they knocked out. We can each at least drag one each." Dekka scowled, "We cannot leave them."

"Dekka's right!" Brianna said, "Let's go!"

"You know..." came a voice from no where, making them all jump and spin around, just to find Howard standing there, smirking. "We could help them few... Or we could help them all."

"What are you talking about?" Dekka frowned, she had been a second away from shooting Howard and by the looks on Edward and Eric's face, so were they.

"We've found the power source. We shut that down, there should be nothing keeping these gloves working, or the doors locked." he grinned.

Dekka's eyes widened "You mean it? Won't it be heavily guarded?"

"That's what they are for." Howard grinned, taking one of the spare guns from Eric's arms. "So what do you say? You in?"

Dekka glanced at the others. Penny was already walking over to him and the twins were watching Dekka for her thoughts.

"If we do this, then we could get more of the kids out, quicker." Brianna said.

"OK." Dekka faced Howard with a single nodd, "Show us the way."

Fruther away in one of the cells, a boy pressed his ear to the door and his eyes widened when he heard a panting sound growing from the silence. He didn't know who it was, but he hoped it was him. And when he was close enough, the boy began to shout.

"Sam!" Caine gasped, standing up and knocking on the door, "Sam!"

"Caine?" Sam gasped, looking up at the door in front of him.

"Get me out, Sam! Get me out!" Caine sobbed, he covered his ears, whimpering, "Hungry in the dark... Darkness is hungry... Coming closer... Make him go away!"

"Calm down!" Sam hissed, "Shhh. I'll get you out, just shh."

When Caine had stopped screaming, Sam looked at the door. He needed a way to open it without the key.

Kneeling down he looked at the small lock bellow the handle. It _looked _like a standard lock, but it had to be more complicated inside... Maybe if Sam got one of those pins or something then he could pick the lock and the door would just swing open for them.

As he was thinking this he felt something hit the back of his head hard. He was thrown forward and his face crashed into the door. There was a snapping sound and hot blood began to dribble down his upper lip and into his mouth, leaving a nasty copper taste. He half spat and half shouted as he pulled his head away from the door again.

Gasping, Sam looked up and his eyes widened. Braike stood over him, sneering nastily.

"Miss me?" Braike growled and swung at him again.

Sam ducked down and dived away. He wanted to know how the hell Briake had not only woken so quickly, but also how he had gotten out of the room they had locked! He no doubt found Sam thanks to Caine crying for him, but that did not explain the rest. He quickly wiped those thoughts from his mind as he ducked down away from Braike's fist but did not run away.

"Aww that's sweet." Braike sneered, his face was badly bruised on one side where Orc had knocked him unconsious. "Even when you are dangerous you won't leave your brother."

Sam scowled and said nothing, Caine had began to sob his name again, beating on the doors as hard as he could.

"Sweet... But pathetic." Braike lashed out and connected with Sam's jaw, knocking him backwards onto the ground.

Sam gasped and rolled slightly, he tried to get up but Braike was on him, beating down on his back with his foot.

"Stop!" Sam shouted and lashed out but Braike just avoided each of his swings. "STOP!" he roared.

He lifted his hands up in the air, they suddenly felt much lighter, and the lights above them sort of flashed before going out completely.

Caine's door flew right off from its hindges. There was a loud crash and the two who had frozen when the lights went out were then looking up to stare at the door. Braike growled, the boy clearly had gotten too angry again. He would have to deal with him... But that did not explain what happened to the lights...

Before Braike could so much as lift his foot off of Sam's back, Caine walked from the room.

Both the twins noticed that somehow the gloves had become considerably lighter. It had been Caine to test them.

Standing there, Caine was red in the face, tears still streaming down his cheeks, he was still switched but he seemed angry as well. Lifting up his hands again, Braike shot off of Sam and lifted into the air, smacking the ceiling hard and earning a roar of pain as the bruised side of his face made contact. He was roated slowly in the air before his head was pointing downwards.

The anger in Caine's eyes. The way Braike was positioned. The way Caine was shaking. It was clear what he was going to do.

He was going to kill him... And in the most bloody way he knew how.


	17. Chapter 17

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: Do not be afraid of constructive critism. I know I do have some grammar and spelling problems. If you notice I keep doing the same mistake over and over again then please let me know, I do want to get better in my writing!_**

**_AngelRaziel _**_thank you so much! That really means a lot to know I am doing well!  
><strong>Arrowkid21<strong> And thanks for pointing that out, I'll watch out in case I repeat anything again!_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Seventeen<span>

Caine was shaking furiously but his hands were still rocking Braike back and forth, trying to have him in the exact right spot. While he did this, Sam looked down at the gloves on his hands. Somehow they had stopped working to prevent them from using there powers... Caine was sweating and the gloves seemed different somehow, but he didn't have time to worry about that.

He blinked and looked up at Braike. He was screaming and failing his arms like he could fly back down to the ground. For a moment it stayed like that, Caine tormenting him and rolling him around in the air with that sick smile playing on his lips, Sam staring at the two with no idea of what to do, and Braike screaming. This Caine reminded him of the Caine that he had fought back in the FAYZ, the one that was power hungry and didn't care who he hurt.

"No..." Sam whispered, eyes wide, "No! Caine, no!"

Jumping to his feet, he ran over and tried to force Caine's hands down to his side, but they were stiff as a bored. When that failed he tried to stand in front of him, shouting at him and trying to get him to understand that he had to put Braike down.

"Caine! Stop! That is enough! Stop!" Sam shouted, he wrapped his arms around of Caine, hugging him as he called him. "Just let him down gently. Just gently, don't kill him!"

Caine was shaking and he looked like he was fighting himself on whether or not to smash Braike's skull open. He barely realized Sam was hugging or calling him for a few moments. Then he slowly felt his legs beginning to shake, unable to hold him anymore and he collapsed into Sam's arms, sobbing loudly as his arms fell limp by his side.

Braike dropped down to the ground, but since he was no longer under Caine's control, he could twist himself and did not fall as hard. He landed on his back and let out a roar of pain but fell silent from one glance of Sam. He did not want there attention now, after all.

Turning to face Sam, Caine stared at him with wide shocked eyes. Then he buried his face down into Sam's chest and began to sob loudly into his brother.

"Darkness... Darkness..." Caine moaned pitifully.

"I know, it's OK, shh, it's OK." Sam mumbled, watching Braike slowly crawl away from them. He had no idea why he saved him. Braike deserved a lot worse...

"No! Darkness! Dark! Dark!" Caine shrieked, falling to the ground and clutching his shirt.

"What's wrong?" Sam blinked, looking down at him. He had never acted like this before, well at least not this badly. He seemed honestly terrified and he only got that way when he was having a truly awful nightmare.

"DARK!"

"I think he means me."

Sam did not need to look up to realize who that voice belonged to. Nerezza was standing right in front of him and all he could see was her shoes, yet he knew it was her. Slowly he lifted his head and scowled at her, Braike had also stopped trying to run away to blink at the girl that stood, towering over them all with a smirk place carefully on her face.

"You? What are you doing here?" Sam whispered, then shouted, "What are you doing to Caine?"

"Now, now Sam. Be nice." Nerezza whispered.

She moved closer. Sam tried to back away but Caine was not moving and he was clinging to him and was too heavy to move. Nerezza slowly got down to her knees and smiled a ice cold smile at Sam. She reached forward, he hands making there way towards of Caine.

"Don't touch him!" Sam shrieked, slapping her hand away.

"How dare you..." Nerezza snarled, glaring at Sam with green eyes, clutching her hand.

"Leave him alone." Sam growled, trying to keep his body from shaking too much as he twisted to position himself in front of Caine, protecting him.

"Excuse me?" Nerezza raised an eyebrow, "And who are you to keep me away from my property?"

"Your what?"

"Property. Caine Soren belongs to me."

**...**

"It worked!" Dekka gasped, lifting a chair in the air as Brianna began to shoot around the room at top speed. The gloves were still annoying, and felt heavy but they could move freely and they could use there powers again!

"You expected otherwise?" Howard snorted, kicking one of the guards unconsious hand and giving him a very nasty look, even if he couldn't see it. Howard had not forgotten how they had tried to kidnap him despite the fact that he was not a mutant.

Dekka said nothing, instead she looked at the computer screens above them. There had to be at least a hundred of them, and half of the screens were split into four anyway to show different rooms. There was no sign of Frankie and Henry and the other kids, they either got out or they were hiding so well they were even hidden from the camera's. Most of the kids in the camera's were sitting, not doing anything, others were beating on the doors and walls or screaming for there parents. And finally Dekka spotted Jill and Diana, on the same screen, both staring into space and not talking.

Poor Jill had a large sort of brace on her lips to keep her from singing. The gloves should have stopped her but it seemed that they didnt want to take any risks with her. Finally, Taylor, on the screen on Dekka's far right, vanished from the screen. She appeared again in the hallway just outside. The shock on her face showed her confusion and she teleported back inside the room before out again. It was like a chain reaction. Slowly the kids (the mutant ones anyway) because to realize they could use there powers again. They began to break from the rooms or contact with one another in there surprise. Guards were roaming around and although a few knocked the kids out again, the kids were not running. They were fighting, and the guards were no match.

"We have no need to stay here any longer." Dekka said, turning to face the others.

"What are we doing now?" Edward asked, he was shaking uncontrollably but he seemed to be holding up better than his twin, who was still crying silent tears.

"You guys get out of here." Brianna suddenly smiled kindly, "You did great but now you can get out."

"As for us, we'll patrol the corridors, help the others out..." Dekka said, she saw the look on Penny's face and added quickly, "And knock down some of those flipping guards while we are at it!"

"That is more like it." Penny grinned a blood thirsty grin.

"No! Dekka!" Brianna shouted, pointing off at a screen.

It was one of the rare ones with a whole screen rather than four in one. In this screen Braike could be seen, crawling helplessly away as if he was in tremendous pain. Caine curled up on the floor, crying like he was also in great pain. Sam standing over him, arms wrapped Caine in a hug and glaring at a girl like he wanted nothing more than to beat her head open. And finally... Nerezza, standing there, smirking broadly and taking another threatening step forward.

"Damn!" Dekka cursed, she turned to the others. "Brianna," she tossed her the key, "You get on that patrol. Penny," she turned to face her, "Start taking out those guards. Howard," she turned but he and Orc had somehow gotten away. Cursing under her breath she turned to Eric and Edward, "You two get out of here."

"What about Sam?" Brianna blinked.

"I've got Sam." Dekka looked at Brianna, like she wanted to say one more thing before she left. Her eyes were filled with sadness but Brianna just could not tell why.

Dekka seemed to change her mind, she tore her eyes away and darted from the room and ran. She had no idea where exactly Sam was since the camera did not have numbers, but if she ran she could stumble apon them.

... Hopefully.

**...**

"What do you mean Caine belongs to you?" Sam asked.

"Exactly that." Nerezza shrugged.

"That doesn't make any sense!" Sam shouted, pulling Caine tighter against his chest.

Nerezza smirked again.

"Explain!" Sam shouted, standing and taking a swing at her.

Nerezza just stepped back and avoided his fist. She snickered and side stepped another blow. She rose her hands up as a sign of peace and said, "I own Caine. I left my mark on him. He is mine to control, therefore that makes him mine completely."

"Since when?" Sam roared.

"Since I left my mark." Nerezza said, then looked at Caine.

"What mark?" Sam blinked.

"You can't see it." she explained, "It is one of those marks that is inside of the skin..." she looked at Caine, he was still shaking, staring at the floor with his hands over his head. "Caine. Come here."

Sam didn't see it, but he felt Caine stiffen and stand up slowly. His face was blank, his eyes were wide and Sam's heart immediately began to race. As Caine took a step towards of her Sam reached out and grabbed a hold of Caine's arm. He tugged but the boy ignored him. Dried tears were still on his cheeks but he was no longer crying, as if someone had just turned the tap all the way off.

"Caine." Nerezza said, smiling coldly, "Destroy Sam."

Sam barely had time to duck before Caine took a swim at him. Caine stumbled slightly and hit the wall before standing and making his way over again. Sam blinked and realized there really was a difference in the gloves, at least between Caine's and his. Caine's were bigger, bulkier with the fingers practically all attached together, while his were still quite thick but less heavy and he had no trouble moving his fingers.

Before he could even do anymore thinking, Caine rose his hands and Sam felt as if he was just punched, thrown back into the wall. Sam shouted and gasped, he collapsed down onto the ground and tried to get to his hands and knees. A foot appeared and connected with his face, knocking him back down again. Then again. And again. Blood slowly began to fill Sam's mouth as he accidently bit his own tongue, his jaw slapping down on the ground.

"Stop!" Sam cough, he pushed up and rolled just out of Caine's reach. Quickly climbing to his feet he shouted again, "Caine! Stop it!"

But Caine could not hear him. Instead he ran forward, slowed slightly by the gloves, lifting his hands like he was about to throw him down again. A hint of deja vu hit Sam hard and he instantly rose his own hands.

The metal gloves on his hands felt red hot, hot to the point of burning his own hands open, and then in a flash the gloves seemed to drop off his hands, large holes melted where the palm and wrist used to be. Just before Caine could throw him anywhere, Sam made a ditch right in front of him on the ground, melting it down together, that Caine quickly tripped into. His body felt considerably lighter and he darted forward, jumping on top of Caine to pin him down.

Nerezza had disapeared but Caine was still fighting him, trying to twist his hands around and throw Sam off, luckily the gloves were still heavy on him and they were slowing him down. Even if it was slightly.

"Damn it!" Sam shouted, he then said as many swear words as he knew, but he was quickly running out of breath, lightly slapping Caine's cheeks while pinning his hands under his knees. "Come on, Caine! Snap out of it!"

"It's no use." Nerezza smirked, appearing in front of him too quickly to be natural. "He will only listened to me. I told you, my mark is deep within him."

"Let him go!" Sam grunted, struggling to hold him.

"No..."

"What do you want? Why are you here?" Sam roared, glaring at her.

"..." Nerezza's face suddenly lost its glee. She stood there, emotionless while Sam wrestled with Caine. Then she sneered, "You wouldn't understand, you're just a kid, a pathetic fool of a kid."

With that she turned around, meaning to walk away as dramatically as she could. Sam cursed and looked down, Caine had slowly managed to roll onto his back but his arms were now awkwardly crossed over since he was unable to free them.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Nerezza appeared and her foot came quickly and hard against Sam's face.

Sam was thrown back, landing on his back and moaning and coughing weakly. All the air had been rushed right out of his lungs and he was finding it hard to get back in again. Before he had the chance to sit up, Caine lifted him up and threw him down the corridor. He landed on the ground and slid across the clean floor before he came to a complete stop.

Looking down, Caine was slowly making his way over, Nerezza standing and sneering in the background.

"STOP IT, CAINE!" Sam shouted as loudly as he could, shutting his eyes and waiting for the next blow.

"AHHH!"

Opening his eyes again, Sam blinked to see Caine, standing there. He looked like he didn't know exactly what to do. Lost and confused before he leaned against the wall and slowly began to shrink down into a crouching position again. And behind of him... Nerezza was hovering, her head hitting the ceiling as she tried to push herself back to the ground again.

"SAM!" Dekka appeared, hands pointed at Nerezza, "Finish her off! Hurry!"

Nerezza turned to Dekka, her mouth opening as she was ready to scream something awful at her. Before she got the chance, Sam was on his feet, ignoring the dizzy feeling that rushed from his head down to his toes and darted over. His own hands rose, they were pink and raw from burning themselves in his attempt to get the gloves off. He shot two beams of light directly at Nerezza and squinted his eyes when it became too bright for him.

When he stopped and looked again, Nerezza had vanished, leaving Sam and Dekka panting in a hallway.

"We got to move." Sam gasped, "Nerezza probably attracted us some unwanted attention."

Dekka nodded, "This way to get out." She had memorized the way completely in her head as she passed it in search for Sam.

Sam went over and wrapped an arm around of Caine and pulling his arm over his shoulder, Dekka quickly ran over to help him up to his feet and stumble along.

"How come... You could do your power... With your gloves on?" Sam gasped, Caine was heavy. Especially since he was not trying to stand up himself.

"No idea. Maybe because our powers are different. You actually have stuff coming out of your hands." Dekka shrugged, gritting her teeth.

"The gloves are different too." Sam said, "Caine and yours."

"No idea on that one." Dekka shrugged.

They struggled to move, Braike had completely disapeared now but there were still a lot of guards out. Sam dealt with most of them and they seemed to be doing lucky.

"Sam..." Caine mumbled, blinking, "What's going on?"

"Perfect timing!" Dekka gasped, "Can you walk on your own?"

"Think so..." he was dizzy but not much.

"Good," Dekka ran over and came back carrying a girl, Nancy, in her arms, there was a needle sticking out of the side of her neck.

"If you see a guard, throw them as hard as you can." Sam grinned, slapping Caine on the back.

Caine nodded, he looked ready to do a lot more. Revenge was the only word that could describe the feeling in Caine's eyes. As they moved Dekka found herself carrying Nancy over one shoulder and Ellie over the other. Both girls unconsious. There were more kids but most of them were being carried by friends or strangers. Sam found himself giving Jill a piggy back ride, she had been crying because the brace over her lips was hurting her. She had also been badly hurt by one of the guards, kicking out at her leg in a last attempt to try and stop her.

"Diana." Caine suddenly stopped, "Where is she?"

"No idea," Dekka said, looking around. They were almost at the exit and there were a lot of kids dashing towards the elevator just like last time. It had been fixed and some kids were getting tense as they waited, funny enough there were no guards there. It could be possible that they were waiting on the area above but there was no other way out.

"Hay! Take her!" Sam snapped, shoving Jill into the arms of a boy his age. Dekka also gave the two girls to someone and looked around.

"I'm going to find Brianna!" Dekka shouted and dashed off before he could say a goodbye.

"Diana." Caine mumbled again, turning and stumbling back again.

"Caine wait!" Sam ran over, "We'll find her together." _and Astrid_, he added to himself silently.

They pushed there way back down the corridor, Sam had completely forgotten where they had left Astrid. Luckily most of the doors were unlocked and they could see inside. A few that were still locked just had to have a small dose of Sam's light before they sprung open. Kids ran out, barely stopping to say thank you. They pushed there way down, looking, but no matter how many locks they opened, they could not find Diana or Astrid.

"Where is she?" Caine growled, glaring at Sam like it was his fault.

"We'll find her!" Sam snapped, grabbing his hand, he winced as his own hands hurt but ignored it.

Caine said nothing, just glared ahead of them.

"We'll find her..." Sam whispered, he was't sure if he was talking about Diana or Astrid anymore.

They turned another corridor, it was empty but there was at least a dozen doors on just one side of the corridor.

"We have to find her."


	18. Chapter 18

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: This story will continue after they are all free. It will go on to be a normal drama with Nerezza/Drake/Raven in the back ground doing bad stuff to cause them as much trouble as they can! So please keep revewing and if you would like to be mentioned as a minor character in the story, give me your name, your appearance and possible what you would like to do!_**

**_bloodsucker101 _**_thank you so much! That really does make me happy! I am so glad you like it all!  
><strong>Arrowkid21 <strong>Why do you hate Sam? And becuase I don't think I'm gonna make it clear, yeah, Drake and Lana also have this 'mark' on them as well as Caine.  
><strong>lexischoll <strong>Thanks, sorry for the long update but here it is!  
><strong>*No Name* <strong>lol thanks, and here's the update!_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Eighteen<span>

Astrid woke with a pounding all around the sides of her head. It was like someone was playing drums. She forced herself to sit up from the hard floor, slowly so as not to get too dizzy and looked around. She was in a plain room with the door wide open and Little Pete sitting there in the doorway, playing on his gameboy in silent.

**(AN/Wanted to add because I don't think or know if I am going to explain it but, Pete wanted Astrid so he got himself out of his room and opened her door for her. They didn't give him gloves cause he's a baby that lookes like he could do no harm (plus Pete could probably knock them off easy anyway, he is that powerful!))**

She had no idea how they had both gotten here (where ever "here" was exactly) or what had happened to them...

Standing and moaning. The banging seemed to steadily increase in her skull. The last thing she remembered was fighting with Drake in the library, then panic, then darkness. Now she was here.

Looking around, slowly so as not to fall over, Astrid made her feet move slowly towards of the door. She stooped to pick Pete up but her head immediately gave a powerful thump and she staggered backwards slightly, a wave of dizziness spreading throughout her head and making her legs as weak as jelly and her arms as lose as shoe laces.

"Petey." Astrid whispered, her throat was dry and sore, stumbling closer to him and reaching for his hand.

He completely ignored her and she had to forcefully grab his wrist, pulling him to his feet. Astrid pulled him towards of the door. After a moment he began to trudge after her, eyes still on the gameboy in front of him.

She was confused still. Obviously Drake had gotten her caught and she was where they brought all the mutants, but why was her door wide open? And where was everyone? Doors where opened but they were all empty and there was not a single guard in sight. Was this a test or a sick game they were making? Or was she saved by someone else and dumped in a random location.

Panic began to spread as it really sunk in where she and Pete could very well be. The more she wandered around the tense she got, for some reason seeing no guards just spooked her more than seeing hundreds.

Spinning around, and almost instantly regretting it when her head gave an almighty pound, Astrid scooped Pete up right into her arms. She staggered but this time remained on her feet. She leaned against the wall to fight off more waves of dizziness. They seemed to be getting lighter now but they still made her stomach twist in knots like she was going to be sick. Then she pushed herself away from the wall, clutching Pete to her chest as he struggled to see his gameboy.

Darting, Astrid picked up her feet quickly as she broke into a run, around of the corners she squinted ahead. She nearly fell over plenty of times but each time she caught her balance and stayed on her feet.

She was so busy running, that she barely took time to look around the corners for guards anymore. So it was not long before she was colliding into someone.

She stumbled back, wrapping both her arms around of Pete and just managing to balance on her feet once more, she opened her eyes, ready to come face to face with one of the guards and gasped with shock instead.

**...**

It didn't take them long before they heard other people getting out, and most of them made a run for it without looking back, but a few stayed just long enough to help others break out of there rooms. But some people were still rather sore, and when one of them opened the door to see Diana sitting there in the middle of the room, they quickly slammed it shut again. Whoever they were they were not happy with any Coates kid considering Diana was probably the nicest of the lot.

Diana ran over to the door and gave an almighty push. It jolted but then stopped moving, she pushed again and it gave off the same reaction. If she didn't have those gloves on it would be so much easier. She frowned, maybe if the power was off, then the gloves would not be as strong.

She threw her hands down onto the ground. It did take much longer than she expected, and any moment Diana was sure they were going to start up again or someone was going to come running, but no one came. She continued to throw her hands down to the ground and onto the wall and onto the door. Her hands were beginning to pinch slightly but otherwise it was gloves that were taking all the damage.

Finally, when she used all her strength to throw her gloves into the wall, there was a loud crack. The first glove fell off completely, but the second took a bit of pushing to get it off completely. Her hands would most likely be bruised but at least she was free.

Taking off the gloves had taken a lot of time, but now she had to get the door open properly. It wasn't locked, but it was very stiff against the wall for some reason, like it had been jammed... Or someone had jammed something into it.

Scowling, Diana got into her knees and peeked through the gap. Sure enough there was something stuffed into the gap between the door and the wall.

Diana stood and let out a low growl before she threw herself, full force with her whole body, at the door. It moved slightly but was still pretty well stuck. She was close to screaming when she threw her whole body against the door a final time and it flew open. She fell down to the ground and sat up to see a piece of metal fly away from her.

Still seething with anger at whoever locked her in, Diana stood up and brushed herself down. She spun on the spot and started to run.

Just as she rounded a corner, she collided into somone. The person she ran into managed to stay on her feet but Diana was knocked right off of her feet and sprawled on her back, blinking up at the ceiling above her.

Diana sat up and glared at the person she had ran into with as much hate as she could muster.

It was Astrid The Genius... And her autistic brother...

"Diana?" Astrid whispered, eyes wide.

"What are you doing here?" Diana blinked, standing up. He tail bone felt bruised and her back was aching suddenly.

"Trying to get out." Astrid said simply, she was shaking horrible and Pete was struggling in her arms fiercely since she was clutching him very tightly.

Astrid blinked down at them and realized what was wrong, she then bent her knees slowly, ducking down and scooping up the gameboy Pete had dropped when Astrid crashed into Diana. The minute he had his game back and Astrid loosened her grip, he stopped fighting and began to play again.

"I get that much but I didn't realize that they caught you." Diana blinked. She felt awkward. Her and Astrid never really... Spoke much... Or anything. It was always Sam and Caine fighting, or Sam and Diana talking (only on the occasion) or Caine tormenting Astrid...

"Where is everyone?" Astrid asked, ignoring her comment, "Do you know what is happening?"

"Not completely, but I do know that everyone is escaping." Diana commented, "The gloves stopped working and there are no guards around but there will be soon so let's move."

"Where to?" Astrid gasped.

"You're the genius, we're getting out of here!" Diana snorted.

Astrid quickly followed, she was almost forgetting that she was holding Pete. He was so quiet and barely fidgeting like he normally did. They rushed down the corridor, Astrid following Diana as she took random turns. Both were ready to fight if they ran into a guard but it seemed pretty quiet.

They seemed to have it OK, until they happened to turn around the wrong corner. After all, there luck to run out eventually.

Diana shrieked as a guard snapped a hold of her arm and tugged her towards of him. His face was hidden by the large black helmet but she could almost hear him snickering under his breath at her.

"Diana!" Astrid gasped, her eyes wide with shock as she took a step back.

"Let go of me! You pig!" Diana shouted, kicking out at the man.

"Oih! Luke! Go get the other one!" Diana's captive said, ignoring her.

The second guard, Luke, made his way over to Astrid as she took another sharp step back. She wanted to run but she didn't want to abandoned Diana. She clutched Pete tighter to his chest until he began to squirm and darted away, she tried to go around of Luke but his arm snatched out and wrapped around her waist, the other grabbing her hair and pulling.

Astrid shrieked and dropped Pete onto the floor in her attempt to turn around and slap him or pull her hair free. Pete hit the floor rather hard and dropped his gameboy until it slid away from him.

Lifting his head he began to scream.

The minute his voice hit the guards ears they dropped the girls. His screams practically broke apart the guards skulls but did nothing to Diana or to Astrid, as if it was not even happening. The guards glass of there helment began to crack and one of the guards began to gasp like he was crying.

Astrid crawled on her hands and knees to Pete's side, half gasping and sobbing with fear, she wrapped him in her arms but made no effort to stop his screaming. It was the only thing that was actually saving Diana and Astrid at that moment.

She picked Pete up, grabbed Diana's hand and back away from the two guards crying in pain.

They spun on the spot and dashed away as quickly as there feet could take them. At some point the guards must have been free from Pete's hold, but they were either too tired to follow or too frightened. Astrid and Diana ran with no rest, barely breathing properly while they ran.

When they finally slowed down, they had to take several deep breathes before they could talk again, leaning over, trying to resist the temptation to collapse down onto the ground.

"We... Far... Enough...?" Diana gasped, using the wall for support.

"I... Think so..." Astrid moaned, clutching her side and leaning over, letting her hair fall down and hide her face as Pete hung in her arm. He had finally stopped screaming but was squirming angrily. He no longer had his game so it would be hard to keep him quiet.

"God. What... Are we... Meant to... Do now?" Diana swallowed hard, standing up and looking around. "I have... No idea which way... to go."

"Anywhere... From here." Astrid said, gulping air down into her lungs.

They stumbled along, trying to walk and get there breath back at the same time, hoping Pete's scream did not begin to work on them.

**...**

Caine collapsed down onto the floor, leaning against the wall and buried his face into his hands, whimpering. He had done this three times before, only it seemed to be getting even worse the more they walked. The only answer Sam got was that Caine wanted to go home.

"I don't have a home." Caine suddenly moaned. At least it was something new.

"Of course you do. It is with me and mum." Sam whispered, sitting down beside of him. Trying to be rough only seemed to make things worse, so he had to be as nice as he could to him.

"No I don't." Caine sobbed, "Connie hates me. She always has. That's why she gave me away. She hates me. And you hate me. And Diana hates me."

"No one hates you. We all love you," Sam said, he wrapped his arm around Caine's shoulder and tried to pull him up to his feet. "Come on, we'll find Diana and you'll see how much she cares about you and how much she missed you."

"Connie hates me. She wanted to send me away." Caine whispered, letting himself be tugged to his feet but no further.

"Caine, I won't let her." Sam said, pushing Caine against the wall and staring him in the eyes. "I will do everything to protect you and keep you safe. I promise, I will not let anyone take you away or hurt you." he gave a weak grin, "Trust your big brother, OK? Now we should go."

Normally, he would have sneered and come up with the usual "We're twins" comment, but that was in his normal state. When he was switched, all he could do was whimper and nodd his head.

"Come on." Sam began to guide Caine the rest of the way.

Caine was getting worst. He was switching constantly and staying switched for such a long time, it was starting to worry Sam. What if Nerezza had done something to him? Or worse, what if it was natural? That could mean he could just be getting worse on his own and there would be no way to help him. At least not until it was too late.

Caine began to curl into Sam. Burrying his face in his shoulder and grabbing his shirt in tight fist as best as he could with his large and bulky gloves.

"Let's talk about something else." Sam tried in a whisper, gently guiding Caine along.

Caine did not reply.

"When we get back home, and everything returns to normal, how would you feel about going to school?" Sam asked, just because it was the first thing that came to mind, "A real school."

Caine looked up slightly, but still did not say anything.

"You could make friends. Proper ones. Not like Drake or Bug or whoever else you spent time with at Coates. Ones that would look out for you and help you along the whole way. And you could have a real life." Sam's voice dropped into a slight whisper, "A real decent life... I promise."

Caine let his eyes drift up and looked at Sam. He no longer looked like a lost child, he was like the old Caine but he did not move away from Sam's embrace.

"Really?" his voice was level and clear but his eyes were slightly pleading.

"I promise." Sam repeated, "Now let's find the girls and get out of here!"

Nodding, Caine stepped away from Sam and brushed his hair out of his face. Showing he was fine. They walked a few steps before Caine began to shrink back down towards Sam again, only relaxing when he felt his brothers arms rest over his shoulder.

"Come on Caine, hold on, we have to save the girls..." Sam said quickly.

"Excuse me... But who says the girls need saving." came a voice and Diana appeared, standing in front of them, hands on hips, foot tapping.

Her presence snapped Caine back immediately. Like being thrown back into his normal self, and he jumped over, wrapping his arms around of her. She let her arms rest on his shoulders and even let him kiss her passionately without hesitation. They stayed like like for a moment as Astrid came running around them and hugged Sam.

"What happened?" Sam asked, hugging Astrid.

"I was hoping you would tell me." Astrid sighed, "I just woke up here with Pete sitting in my doorway."

Sam frowned slightly but then pushed it aside and shrugged. He hugged her again and kissed her lips quickly. "I am glad your safe."

"You too..." Astrid whispered.

Then the moment was over. "Enough Caine." Diana grinned, pushing him away slightly.

"Fine, but as soon as we get out of here..." Caine grumbled, and took a tight hold of her hand. Like he was afraid if he let her go she might disapear on him again.

"Hey, Astrid." Sam said suddenly, "Have you noticed the gloves. I mean. Some are different. Do you, maybe, know why?"

Astrid frowned slightly and watched as Sam pulled Caine's and Astrid's hands up to show the gloves. One was definately thicker (and seemed harder to move) than the other. She stared at them for a moment before finally nodding her head and letting there hands drop back down again.

"Well... I am just guessing because I cannot see inside of them." Astrid began, "The one I am wearing seems more advanced. It's normally the way. Smaller things are normally newer but it is just a guess."

"Who cares?" Diana suddenly shouted, "Let's just get the hell out of here."

"Easier said than done." Sam commented.

"Well it is better than just standing around." Caine growled, "Come on, Diana." and the two began to stride down the corridor. Caine still (trying) to hold Diana's hand. It was made harder because Caine still had the thicker more awkward glove on but they were seeming to manage with Diana just clinging onto him. Her hands were very pink and a growing bruise over her knuckles.

Sam sighed and nodded at Astrid. Astrid pulled Pete higher up on her hip, he was whimpering and rocking from side to side, and began to move. They marched down the corridor as quickly as they could, while Astrid and Diana did still a little out of breath. There were no problems with guards as they moved but they had no idea why that was exactly. Pete was growing more fussy until Sam pulled off one of his shoe laces and gave it to Pete, he still moaned and mumbled the the lace seemed to keep him concentrating enough to give Astrid a break.

"The elevator!" Diana said.

They picked up there feet and ran over. It was completely deserted now, not a kid or guard in sight. They moved to the elevator, pressed the button and climbed inside without hesitation. Barely checking to see if anyone was waiting for them inside.

"This seems way too easy..." Astrid whispered.

"Sometimes life is like that." Caine shrugged, "Now don't jinx it."

"But-"

"Shut it!"

"Caine, you shut it!" Sam snapped.

The two glared at one another for a moment when the lift came to a sharp stop. Hitching there breath they stepped out of the elevator and froze.

The main room was full of guards, pointing guns at them. Children lying at there feet, either tied up, unconsious, or just too frightened to move, hugging friends and families for comfort. And in the very middle of all the guards, some of them were chuckling, others not moving, was Braike, sneering nastily. He looked badly bruised from his fall but otherwise he was unharmed.

"Did you really think I would let you get away?"

"Told you not to jinx it!" Caine hissed.


	19. Chapter 19

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: Re Reading the Gone Series again! Hopefully that will mean I will get really into it and so I can write more!_**

**_bloodsucker101 _**_thank you so much! That really does make me happy! I am so glad you like it all!  
><strong>Knifapotamas<strong> Yeah I see what you're saying. I think either could have worked:L And cool, I'll add you in soon!  
><em>

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><p><span>Chapter Nineteen<span>

No one moved. They stood there, frozen with fear. Astrid half hid behind of Sam with Pete carefully out of view in case they began to shoot at them. She was not sure what the effect of those darts would be on her baby brother. Caine scowled and his hands twitched slight, ready to start throwing people around again, especially Braike. Diana shrunk back and looked around, as if hoping someone else might appear to help them. And Sam stepped forward, shielding them all from the majority of the guards view.

"Now, now." Braike sneered, "Let us not do anything we will regret."

Sam hesitated and glanced around at the others. They were all tense and nervous. He might have risked it if Caine was in full health. They would normally be able to take them, especially now they had there powers, but if Caine switched on them before they were done then they could all be knocked out (or even killed!) on sight.

"OK." Sam said, hands rose in defence, "We're coming."

"Hands down!" Braike snapped, wincing and taking a step back. It was then Sam saw he was honestly scared now. He was afraid of them. Which was both a good thing and a very bad thing.

"Oh, calm down!" Sam snapped, lowering his hands slowly back to his side.

"What are you doing?" Caine hissed.

"Saving your ass. Now follow my lead." Sam whispered from the corner of his mouth.

"No way." Caine growled.

"Just do as he says!" Diana whispered, clutching Caine's elbow with both of her hands.

Caine frowned at her but then slowly nodded his head, glaring at the back of Sam's head instead. They didn't move, all there hands by there sides, staring ahead. Sam was thinking of a way out but nothing really jumped into his mind. The others were just waiting to follow his lead.

"Now, all of you, step away from one another. We don't want you trying anything." Braike smirked, "Not until we get the machines working again." he shot an angry look at Brianna and Dekka who were crouched down at his feet, gagged with rags and tied with guns pointing directly at one anothers temple as a warning.

For a moment it seemed like no one was going to move. Sam and his friends refusing while the guards were just too afraid by the powers. But then a braver (or stupider) guard stepped forward and grabbed Caine by his shoulders and dragged away, they wrapped an arm around of his neck to keep him from struggling too much.

"CAINE!" Diana yelped, and someone grabbed her hair, pulling sharply so that she screamed.

Sam yelped but didn't struggle as someone grabbed and pulled him to the side. He heard Astrid screaming as well because they were taking Pete from her arms. It was a mess but Sam knew that fighting was useless, and he let the guards pull him away, mind racing with a sudden plan. It was not a good plan, but it was all he had left.

Looking at the others he tried his best to give a clear sign... Don't Fight.

Only Astrid seemed to be paying any attention, and she still desperately stared at Pete. She let out a sob and her knees gave way, making her collapse down in the guards arms. Caine and Diana continued to struggle, kicking out with their feet and throwing their heads from side to side. Caine's hands were pinned down against his sides and threats were demanded about Diana if he used his powers.

"OK." Sam nodded, "We're done."

"You bet you are..." Braike hissed.

"Braike... The kids..." said one the guards beside of him, sounding nervous.

"What about them?" Braike snapped, clearly not in the mood.

"Well..." he stalled, "Shouldn't we get them back down in the cells? Out of the way."

"Why? They should get to see what happens when they fight me." Braike sneered, nastily.

"But-"

"Shut it! Or we'll turn on you too! In fact I happen to know you have a daughter at home. And a son. Two and Three. Both pretty young to not have died during the incident. Is there something you're keeping from us all?" Braike leaned in close.

The man instantly went quiet. He backed down and glared at his feet. He was embarrassed and angry at the same time. He bit down on his lower lip under his mask and lifted his gun up slightly, but he wasn't aiming. Though a certain part of him did want to turn the gun on Braike at that very moment.

"Now then... As for you." Braike turned his eyes back to Sam.

"What are you going to do with us?" Sam asked, trying to sound calm.

"You... You have caused enough trouble. I think it is time to set an example. We'll see if there is any special way to kill you monsters." Braike commanded.

"NO!" Astrid sobbed. Diana gasped and froze, Caine stared at him for a moment.

Braike ignored them and nodded at the guard who had the tight hold on Sam. Sam was dragged forward in front of everyone. He saw Braike pulling out a needle, it was filled with a strange liquid and in the other hand was, what looked like, some kind of kitchen knife only twice as sharp and frightening.

Astrid was still screaming, quite a few kids had joined her now. Brianna was throwing herself backwards, trying to smack into Braike's knees and distract him somehow. Dekka was twisting her hands in the bonds, trying to aim them at a certain something in the room. Even Penny was slamming her feet in a sort of temper as Sam was forced to his knees with his hands squeezed behind of his back, firmly behind of his shoulder blades. He felt like his arms were going to snap.

As Sam looked around he saw Caine's eyes growing wide. The switch was kicking in. He'd be useless. Diana had her eyes on Sam but he hoped that when it started she would know to get Caine out as soon as possible.

"Stop this!" Jill cried, "Please!" she tried to continued but a wet cloth was shoved halfway down her throat, choking her.

And then Taylor was there.

She flashed behind the guards, taking many by surprise. She lifted her foot so it came up in between the guards legs and connected somewhere it did not want to connect. This time he had no protection over him and guard just managed to let out a gasp of air before he fell forward, letting go of Sam.

Sam rolled to the side as Taylor vanished again before anyone could shoot.

It was as if that was the signal for everyone.

Dekka's spread her hands and all the guards behind her lifted up off of the ground, dropping their weapons in surprise. Brianna had her feet tied but she tried to roll over and tear it off. Jill had pulled her gag from her mouth and ran for the door, followed by most of the younger kids. Penny laughed nastily as some of the guards (and a few children caught in the cross fire) because to scream in pure terror.

"Penny!" Diana screamed. The guard had let go of her to deal with some of the more dangerous feaks. "Stop!" she ran over and tried to force Penny's hands down. "Stop! You're scaring Edward and Eric!" the two twins were caught in Penny's power.

"Get off me." Penny snarled, she looked crazy. She used her hip to knock Diana away and focused on a few more guards.

Suddenly Dekka was there. She brought her bare fist around, smacking Penny hard on the back of her skull and knocking the girl down to the ground. "You deserve to be here." Dekka snarled.

Someone had let Brianna go and she was shooting around the people, attacking them so quickly they didn't even realize it was happening.

The guards were older. The guards were stronger. The guards had large gun weapons that worked against anyone. The guards were even more frightening. But they were not freaks. They did not have powers and therefore they were being knocked around like idiots by the children that had chosen to stay and fight. The rest had already made a second break for freedome.

"Enough of this!" Braike was on Caine. He wrapped an arm around Caine's neck, the other had pulled out the needle with the strange liquid inside and he pushed the tip of the needle into Caine's shouldr. "Stop it! Or I press down!" Sam froze and he stared right at him. "This formula has been untested. It could kill him. Harm him. Or just drive him mad."

"If it hasn't been tested then how do we know it does anything?" Howard snorted. Orc had several guards pinned down with such ease they might as well have been dolls.

"Do you want to risk it?" Braike looked mad. Caine just looked terrified and was crying as he wriggled ever so slight in his grip.

"When are you going to give this up?" Sam shouted.

"When you and your kind are finished." Braike sneered.

"Go on and kill him." Brianna said suddenly. Everyone turned to stare at her but she just shrugged. "What? No one likes Caine, and once he's dead you won't have any more amo. In fact, the minute you push down on that needle, Sam'll burn your butt off!" she shrugged again. "Just saying you'd be better of retreating."

Braike looked slightly taken back. Then he tensed, "You think you can trick me?"

"Not tricking, dude." Sam said slowly.

"Stating facts." Dekka joined in, stepping forward.

Most of the guards were down for the count. The rest seemed too afraid to do anything. Braike was looking around for help but it was useless. His face burned red with humiliation. He was being beaten down by a couple of kids!

"You freaks!" he hissed, spitting. "You dirty mutants!"

Sam opened his mouth to tell Braike they would hurt him if they had to. When a different voice came from Braike. It came from one of his gadgets in his belt. Probably a walky talky of some kind. The voice sounded a little fuzzy but it was still clear enough for them to understand it.

The voice. The one who was in charge of the whole lab. It was telling Braike to let them mutants go. That there had been a change of plan. That they could not do this and he had to let the mutants go home because otherwise they would all be in trouble for some kind of crime about holding people and torturing them.

In other words. They were free!

The little girl, Nancy, was the first to do anything. She began to cheer and laugh. She grabbed the Ellie girl whose brothers had the same name from where they were tied by the desk and hugged her. Then Ellie was crying and laughing at the same time. She began to call for her brother. Shout his name loudly as if he would appear and take her back home then and there.

Over the chorus of Jamie's, the others began to let it sink in. Brianna laughed and stuck her tongue out at Braike. She turned and high fived Dekka who was not as cheerful but still seemed thoroughly relieved. Orc didn't seem to understand but Howard quickly explained to him. Eric and Edward, now no longer shaking from Penny's attack, were also sobbing with relief. But they also might have been crying from fear of the monsters they thought they had seen.

Taylor was literally bouncing from one spot to another, shaking people who seemed confused until they understood. Astrid had Petey in her arms and her face was burried in her brothers shoulder, but it was clear she was also sobbing loudly. When she looked up there was a large grin on her face.

Diana and Sam did not move. They stared at Braike. He looked even more angry than he was before. His grip tightened on Caine as he snarled and shook, the needle still in his hand. This news had not pleased him.

"Hey!" Diana snapped, she looked ready to cry but was fighting it. "You heard him! Let us go! Let us all go! Even Caine!"

But Braike did not let go. He stepped back. His thumb rose as if to slam down on the needle in Caine's neck. Diana screamed. A few people looked around.

Then the guard was on him. The one who with the kids who Braike had threatened. The gun rose and the dart stuck Braike just bellow his ear. He blinked and stumbled, giving Sam enough time to jump forward and rip Caine from his grip, the needle dropped and fell down at their feet just before Braike fell down beside of it.

Sam stood, his arms wrapped tightly around of Caine as Caine buried his face into Sam's shoulder. Caine was shaking and Sam was just plain shocked that the guard had helped them.

"Come on," the guard said. "You heard the boss. You can go home already. So move."

"You..." Astrid whispered. Staring down at Braike.

"Bastard had it coming." the guard shrugged.

For a moment, no one moved. Then Dekka stepped back. "Brianna..." she whispered, grabbing the younger girls arm.

Brianna looked over at her. Nodding. And the two disapeared out the door. In seconds everyone had left. The only ones who remained in the room was the guard, Sam, Caine, Astrid, Pete and Diana. All standing in the large empty room, staring down at Braike like he might do something fascinating while he was unconsious.

"What will happen to him now?" Diana whispered.

"No idea." the guard shrugged. "Probably nothing. Maybe demotion."

"That's it?" Astrid gasped. "After everything he has done? All the lives he has almost ruined? The children he has hurt?"

"I know." the guard scowled, "But until now he was not doing anything wrong. He was following orders... Like me."

No one said anything. This guard had just saved Caine's life. But he had been one of the many people to kidnap children and take freaks and normal kids away from their families. Dragging them along and shooting them when they did not come quietly.

"Let's go home." Sam said, glaring at the guard.

Astrid surprised them by running over. She lifted her foot and stomped hard on Braike's face. They heard a horrible sound and blood began to flow from his noes down over his lips and onto the floor. With a last satisfying look, Astrid turned and walked over to Sam.

"What about Penny?" Diana asked, stooping to pick the younger girl up slightly.

"Leave her." Sam shrugged. "She is one of the few that needs this place."

"I can't." Diana said simply, pulling Penny up over her shoulder. "She may have failed but she tried to help me. At least this way I don't owe her."

"Drop her off in the woods then." Caine suddenly growled. Stepping away from Sam, he was shaking but looked like he seemed to be gaining control.

Diana stared at Caine for a moment. Like she had always expected him to say or do something truly nasty. He was still the old Caine Soren now, even if he changed his last name to Temple. And, funny enough, she would always find herself loving him.

"Are we leaving or what?" Sam asked. He took Caine's hand tightly and reached for Astrid's free hand that was not clutching Petey.

They walked from the building, leaving the guard to tend to Braike. Caine silently wished that Braike suffered some sort of heart attack from it and died on that very floor. But he did keep it to himself in case Sam or Diana gave him that 'That-was-mean-even-for-you' look they were constantly giving him.

What they just didn't get was that he was a mean person. And nothing was going to change that.

"Where are we going again?" Diana asked quietly.

"Home." Sam shrugged.

"I don't really have a home." Diana mumbled. "My dad was so glad that I was being taken..."

Caine instantly reached up and wrapped his arms around of her waist. He leaned over and kissed her temple and nuzzled her hair gently.

"I'm glad you're back." Caine whispered.

Diana scowled and snorted at the corny comment. But she turned her head to the side so he didn't see the corner of her lips twitch upwards.

"MUM!" Astrid shrieked. She ran forward to where her mother and father stood, arms open to embrace their children. They must have heard the children were free and came to meet them. Maybe Brianna or Taylor had gotten back to Perdido and called out to everyone to spread the news.

And then Connie was there. She didn't even wait for Sam or Caine to see her. She started running and almost knocked both of the boys down to the ground. Caine let go of Diana and she almost fell down herself as his arm almost smacked her around the head.

Connie was clutching them. Sobbing aloud as she kissed there cheeks wetly and half laughed.

"It's OK, mum." Sam grinned, "We're home. We're back! Everything's OK!"

But while Connie sobbed and kissed Sam again, Caine took a small step away. She may not be meaning too, but she was spending more time hugging and kissing Sam. She didn't love Caine as much as she loved Sam, no matter how much she tried to.

Diana walked up to him and he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her against his body so they were as close as they could be. She was all he needed. And he was all she wanted.

"Oh no..." Diana whispered.

She and Caine looked up just in time to see Drake glaring at them. He was with Raven and Nerezza, of course neither knew who Nerezza was, they recognised Raven instantly. She was almost as much trouble as Drake was...

"This is no way over. Is it?" Diana whispered, glaring at Drake.

"Nope. And I'm glad." Caine smirked, "I may not be able to hurt Zil or any of the other dicks in Perdido Beach. But I don't see anything against hurting Drake."

Diana looked up and stared at him. If he went for Drake... He very well would get killed himself. Of course he wouldn't listen to her if she tried to explain this. He never did. So she settled for kissing him deeply on the lips to distract him.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I am still including characters if you wanna be in the story! Lys (Knifapotamas) was added at the end of the story :D A small part but still a part!_**

**_Mia _**_thank you! I am so glad you loved it and don't worry there will be more! :D You don't think I would leave it with Drake Nerezza and Braike all on the lose?  
><strong>arrowkid21 <strong>Yeah:L Taylor can kick ass when she wants to!  
><em>

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty<span>

"Hungry... I'm so hungry... In... In the dark." Caine moaned loudly, rolling his head back and forth. "Hungry in the dark!"

Sam sighed. He had woken up seconds before Caine started but it was still annoying to hear him in the first place. Standing from his bed. He walked over to the other side of the room and reached down into the darkness to shake his brother awake... And instead just felt all the air above the bed.

"... Caine?" Sam blinked, he looked up and squinted around the room. He could hear Caine but he just could not see him, it was too dark. "Caine?"

And then he saw him. Just his outline in the dark but there he was. Standing up against the wall, moaning and rocking his head from side to side. His knees kept bending as if they were going to give away but then he pushed back up once more and moaned even louder. Then he dropped down to the ground and began to weep like a baby, rocking himself and sniffing weakly. Still repeating the same words over and over again.

"Caine..." Sam whispered, walking over towards of Caine. He moved slowly. This was the first time he had ever seen Caine sleep walk while having a nightmare. That could very well mean that he was more dangerous.

Caine seemed to see him too. He stood up and shouted in fear. Rising our hand and reaching forward. Sam just had time to gasp before he was knocking back down onto his bed. The wind was knocked out of him when his back hit the wall and he slipped down to his bed. Gasping and coughing, Sam tried to roll over so he could get to his hands and knees.

"Caine. Caine it is me! Sam! It's Sam!" he gasped, climbing off the bed.

"Sam?" Caine gasped and began to cry again, "Sam help me! Hungry! Hungry in the dark, Sam!"

"I know. But it's OK, Caine." Sam gasped, still coughing to get his breath. "I'm here to protect you! I'm here for you." he stopped in front of Caine and took his hands. "I got you."

"No!" Caine screamed. He lifted his foot and kicked Sam hard in the shoulder. "He's hungry! He's just so hungry!"

Sam gasped as pain flared in his shoulder. He took a breath and then reached forward, taking Caine's face in his hand.

"Caine. It is OK. Calm down. It is OK."

Slowly, Caine stopped fighting him. His screams turned to angry moans and his angry moans turned into pathetic little whimpers. And then he just fell silent. Caine sniffed and wiped his eyes on the back of his hand. Then he looked straight at Sam through the dark.

"Sam."

"Yeah, it's me." Sam sighed. "Come on, let's get to bed."

"But..." he paused.

"You can get in my bed with me." Sam offered.

Caine hesitated once more but then stood and followed Sam to the bed. He climbed in with him and shut his eyes. He shut his eyes and made sure that some part of his body, even if it was just his foot, was touching Sam so that he might feel him there. Know that he was not going to leave him.

"I dreamt Braike came after me." Caine suddenly whispered into the darkness.

"Yeah?" Sam mumbled.

"He was chasing me and shouting. He swore and said I was going to be his little experiment. He pinned me down and pulled out one of those knives people use to disect frogs and reached over. He was going to cut out my eye when it wasn't him. It was just darkness surrounding me. And I heard his voice." the darkness.

"What happened?" Sam asked.

"It kept me pinned down and told me to do things. Hurt people. Hurt Diana. And then it told me to kill her and you where there. You were shouting at me. Telling me it was OK. But I couldn't think. I just wanted to hurt you." he paused. "So I did."

"It was just a dream. Braike's been sent away from here." Of course that was more for Braike own protection than the mutant kids. Too many adults, parents and older siblings were looking for blood for what he did to their family. "And the darkness is just gone. There is nothing else to it. It's gone."

"I know but..." he paused. "I know."

"Come on. We only have a few more hours of sleep." Sam yawned. "Then we have our first day of school together."

Caine knew that. It was why he was dreading it. He did not want to go to school. He did not want to face them all, both mutants and normals. They would all hate him anyway and Sam had admitted that it was hard to deal with the school but he would get used to it.

He still could not see Diana on any day apart from weekends. Sam would spend his days with Quinn and Astrid and there was Zil and the other Human Crew. And to make things worse Taylor and Brianna had already moved in so they were at the new school. It was going to be a nightmare.

"I don't want to go." Caine whimpered. He had not meant to speak out loud.

"It's OK." Sam smiled, he wrapped an arm around of him. "I'll be there with you the whole way. I promise."

**G*O*N*E**

"Are you ready?" Connie called into the other room, pushing the sandwiches down into the two matching see through bags.

"Yeah!" Sam called back.

He stepped into the room, pulling his coat tighter around his chest as he reached for the bag. It took a whole minute later before Caine came trailing up behind of him. He reached for his own bag and winced when he felt how heavy it was.

It had been two month since they had escaped and gotten their lives back. It took a number of concelours to get some of the kids through it and even more kids moved away from Perdido Beach. Edward and Eric had disapeared in the night, the house abandoned. And Ellie and her brother Jamie had walked around saying goodbye to everyone. Her and Nancy seemed to grown a connection and the two were seen sobbing and hugging one another in the streets.

"You'll be fine." but Connie sounded as terrified as Caine.

Caine pulled the back pack up on his shoulders and tried to resist the urge to pout. He took a deep breath and refused the piece of toast that Connie offered him. Instead Sam ate both pieces and swallowed them almost whole. Then he turned around and smiled at Caine.

"You ready to head off?" Sam grinned.

"No." Caine said instantly.

"Well let's try anyway." Sam shrugged. He reached over and took Caine's elbow, leading him to the door and giving Connie was backwards wave goodbye.

The door slammed shut and Caine's stomach dipped, making him feel ready to throw up. He gagged slightly but just nodded and forced his very stiff feet to take it one step at a time. Any moment now he was sure he was just going to lose any balance he had left on his legs and collapsed. He was growing a head ache just for being in the fresh air and his stomach was twisting tighter and tighter.

"You're slowing down." Sam noted.

Caine had, in fact, been forcing himself to move slower. Pretty soon he would be standing still. Maybe even walking backwards if he went far enough. Which is what he desperately felt like doing.

"Sorry." Caine mumbled.

"We're gonna be late if you don't hurry." Sam said, pulling him along. "So come on already."

Caine reluctantly let out an annoyed growl and began to move faster. Though he did use plenty of reasons to slow down. When crossing the road or when he heard someone shouting at something or even when he had to lean down and get a stone out of his shoe. He managed to slow them down but they still somehow got to the school building before the bell went off.

"No." Caine suddenly growled. Tugging Sam to a stop. "No I'm going back."

"You're not. Best get this out of the way." Sam sighed. He gave him another pull on his sleeve and they found themselves standing on the school ground.

It was as if an alarm went off the minute they passed through the gates. Nearly every eye turned and found Caine standing there. Those that didn't soon did when they saw friends and family staring. Astrid and Quinn both walked over from different directions and Zil glared from not to far away from them.

Zil had been in a rather foul mood since BEFORE the FAYZ. But it had obviously gotten even worse since Sam had gotten him captured and sent to the Lab. Even his family hated Sam's family even more because of what he had done. So he knew it was going to be hard being at school with him.

"I hate you..." Caine growled under his breath.

"Hi, Sam." Astrid smiled. She then purposely turned and forced the smile to stretch at Caine. "Hi, Caine."

"Sup, bro." Quinn grinned. He reached over and slapped Sam on the back. Then he rested his arm over Sam's shoulders and steered him away from Caine. Sam was just so glad that things were almost normal he forgot about Caine.

Astrid stared after the boys as they wandered away. Everyones eyes still stuck on Caine and guilt kicked in rather hard. Some where now staring at her just because she was beside of Caine but she refused to let that get to her.

"Come on, Caine." Astrid smiled. "Why don't we let Quinn and Sam have a bro-union thing while I show you around the school."

Caine scowled at her. It looked like he might make an insult and strom off, possibly even head off back to his home. But then he sighed and shrugged. Being with Astrid the stupid genius was better than being stuck on his own surrounded by all these people. No idea what to do and in enemy territory.

"This way then." Astrid turned and led Caine towards of the school building.

Sam looked up but relaxed when he saw Astrid taking Caine ahead. He knew he could trust her to look after Caine. That meant that he could hang out with Quinn and return to normal without having to worry that Caine was being attacked or switched around on his own.

Caine would be fine without him for a couple of minutes...

**G*O*N*E**

Or maybe he wouldn't be. Because when Sam walked into the small classroom, he found Caine sitting slumped down at the back in the corner where Quinn normally sat. Astrid was sitting beside of him but both looked very frightened and miserable. Caine had his face buried in his hands and the teacher looked ready to bite someones head off.

"Sam Temple! You are Caine Temple's brother, are you not?" the teacher shouted the minute he saw Sam walk into the room. He leaned so their faces were almost touching and his sput splattered against Sam's cheeks and chin.

"Yes sir." Sam blinked, standing his ground as Quinn slipped over to a seat away from the drama.

"Then what do you think you were doing, leaving him to wander around on his own when you know, very well, that he is mentally unstable?"

The class snickered loudly and Caine's face, that was showing through his fingers, burned a bright red. Astrid glared up at the teacher and turned to give Sam those eyes that meant something had seriously gone wrong. He was so used to that look it was scary.

"He is not mentally unstable." Sam scowled. "And what exactly is it that he has done?"

"Throwing another student across the classroom is considered normal to you?" the teacher snarled.

Sam inwardly groaned and stood there. No point in arguing since he knew he would lose the case. The class was still merged so it just made things worse to see everyone. Zil was grinning at Caine and giving him the finger. If the teacher opened his eyes he would have seen but Sam doubted he would have told him off anyway.

Brianna was sitting in the room. She was sitting on her own but she looked read to jump up and scream. Whatever happened seemed to have really infuriated her. And the fact that she was angry because Caine was in trouble meant that she honestly was furious because things were unfair. After all, Brianna hated Caine.

When Sam sat down, he made sure to sit beside of Brianna and drop his voice. "What happened?"

"Lance... He was shouting at Caine. Getting in his face." Brianna snarled. "He went to punch him. The teacher was standing right there and he saw what Lance was about to do. So Caine pushed him away. But he pushed him too hard and his power sent Lance into the girls bathroom opposite the room. The teacher made Caine sound and look like a fool. Screamed at him until he changed personalities. He got lost and didn't know who was who or where he was. He wanted you. Started getting really upset. Even teared up. And the teacher just screamed at him."

"Are you serious?" Sam's jaw dropped and he looked up at the teacher.

"That bastard." Brianna snarled. "I say I dart over and put a million pins on his chair. Just before he sits down."

"No." Sam said, almost reluctantly. "Someone will see you." His eyes never left the back of Zil's head.

Brianna nodded slowly and then looked over. Astrid was whispering to Caine but he did not respond. He just kept his head down, trying to hide from the classroom. Astrid tensed when she saw small drops of water falling down from his face onto the desk.

At times like this, Astrid knew her brains were useless... Sam was the on Caine wanted, he was the one Caine needed.

Astrid looked up, she saw Sam and gave a weak smile.

"I'm gonna move over there." Sam said, "Wanna come?"

"Depends, will we get told off for moving?" Brianna snorted, but was gathering her things.

They had just sat down when the bell went. The teacher looked up as the door opened and a girl called Lys walked in. Sam didn't know her very well but she certain looked familiar. Light skin, 5'8, brown eyes with match brown bob of hair that waved around her chin. She stumbled in, clutching a book to her chest, looking quite nervously. Obviously a first day at school again.

"Lys..." the teacher frowned and then was on her. "What are you doing walking in so late?"

Lys froze and stared up. Terrifyed. "My mum... She's slow... She..."

"Be quiet. Take you're seat now." the teacher hissed.

And then Lys was gone. Vanished from the spot. Sam found her slinking down so far in the chair beside of him for a moment no one realized she was there.

And then he remembered who she was. Lys was confusing, people always thought she was like Taylor, she could bounce from one spot to another. In truth she could just pause time all from herself. She must have paused it and ran to her seat, hiding down before letting time go away. She could only hold it for a few seconds, being just a two bar, but it was still impressive.

The teacher looked like he was going to start screaming again when Lisa walked in. The only real female of the human crew. She was late just like Lys was.

But the teacher glanced at her and nodded.

"Bastard!" Brianna hissed. A little too loudly.

"What was that?" the teacher demanded, glaring at Brianna.

"Nothing..." Brianna snarled.

"I thought so."

"Great, just what we need." Astrid whispered. "A freakaphobic teacher."

Behind him, Sam heard Caine give a weak sniff as he regained himself and glared up at the teacher with open hate.


	21. Chapter 21

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I cannot wait to read Fear! I am so tense because I have a sudden awul feeling that Diana might die and I don't want her to die! I want her and Caine to end up happily (anyone who has read Plague will know who I want them to live happily with!)! But apparently Astrid haters will like her by the end and AstridXSam fans will be happy O_O I WANT TO READ IT SO BADLY!_**

_**Bluelove22 **Thank you so much! I am so glad you think it is getting better!  
><strong>sheepobsessed<strong> thank you! and um sure?:L  
><strong>MotoKia217<strong> Thank you! And lol, glad you like it so much and I am glad it is like the books :D  
><em>

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty One<span>

"Freak. Freak. Freak." Someone coughed as Caine and Sam sat down at a long blue dinner table. They set there trays down in front of them and Sam quickly hunched over like he was trying to hide.

Brianna appeared beside of him, her juice cartoon had been knocked over and some of her food was smeered across her tray slightly from the speed she moved at. She dumped it down hard on the table. It made a loud "clanging" sound and she shot Antoine the finger so quickly he blinked, clearly unsure of what he had seen.

"I am sick of this." Taylor said, sitting down in front of Sam. "I came in late because mum had to take me to the dentist and Mr Hope, our teacher, gave me a detention!" she threw her hands up in the air. "And that bitch Lisa, who also came in late from what I've heard, walked right up to me and threw her blackberry drink," as she spoke she unzipped the green hoodie she was wearing, "all over my blouse!" There was a large purple stain on the front of her white top.

"Did you tell a teacher?" Astrid asked, sitting down beside of Taylor.

The two girls still had a sore spot for one another considering that they both still wanted Sam. Even as she sat down, she found herself inching away slightly and giving Sam a brighter smile that needed. And even the question was trying to undermine Taylor in some way

"Of course I did!" Taylor snapped. For a very brief moment the two girls glared at one another like they were the two only girls in the room. But then Taylor rolled her eyes and tried to look cool and calm again. "Mrs Hunsberry or whatever her name is just told me not to be a tattle tail!"

"What else did you expect?" Caine sneered. Picking small bits of lettuce from his sandwich and lying it on the side of his tray.

"Oh shut it!" Taylor snapped, then looked at Sam, hoping for some sympathy. "This was my favourite shirt."

"I'm sorry Taylor." Sam sighed. He didn't know what else he could say to her.

"It's not just you." Brianna pointed out. "Lys... she vanished today. People say they saw her freezing time so she could run from the school without people seeing her so quickly that several people realized she had accident knocked them over onto the ground. One minute they were standing, the next they were lying on their ass."

"How come?" Sam blinked.

"Why else? Hank. He pulled her hair and cut a chunk out of the back! She has a giant bald spot now where everyone can see. And no decent comb over will be able to hide it. She burst into tears and he threw it over her, screaming a dozen swear words even I didn't know! Half of them are probably made up anyway."

"Poor Lys..." Astrid whispered.

They all fell into a tormenting silence. No one wanted to say anything, they wanted to just sit there and stay silent. Like when you had a moment of silence for a fallen comrade. This was silence for a fellow FAYZ kid that could not handle the real world yet. So many kids might fall after her, unable to deal with school life once more. It was only a matter of time before a close friends broke down.

A moment of silence just seemed neccissary. But the loud clatters of the others around them seemed to shatter the silence in mere moments.

"Look, there is nothing we can do for Lys so we might as well get over it and move on with our own lives." Caine snorted, standing up. "And I'm not hungry. See ya losers."

Taylor and Brianna scowled after him. Sam just sighed and shook his head, pushing his own tray away. He _was_ hungry but he couldn't leave Caine to wander off of his own. Especially after what had happened that morning. The teachers and students were all looking for some random reason to attack him and get him into trouble.

"See you guys back in class." Sam sighed.

Astrid shot him a kind symapthetic look. Brianna and Taylor had twin looks of Sam being crazy for going after him. But it was like Astrid looking after Little Pete. She understood that there was just some things you had to do for your sibling. Even if you really did not want to.

He followed Caine, falling a few steps behind of him. He watched Caine, and watched as students watched Caine. All of the stares they sent him seemed to be filled with hate or fear. No one seemed happy to have Caine in the school, but it could have been worse. They could have had Drake!

"Wait up." Sam said, finally, and quickened his pace so they were walking side by side.

"I don't know how you're friends with that lot." Caine snorted, "All they do is complain. Complain. Complain."

"Wow, why don't you tell me what your friends do then? Oh wait, I forgot. You don't have any." Low blow but true.

"I have Diana." Caine scowled.

"She hardly counts." Sam snorted.

"And why is that?" Caine asked, raising an eyebrow while they walked.

"Because she's more a girlfriend than a friend. And there is a difference between the two of them. Trust me." Sam said, then added rather snipely. "I have both."

Caine snorted and strode ahead of him, walking over to a set of benches in the main school ground. He sat down on the bench and dropped his heavy bag down on the ground. Sam and him and brought packed lunches but neither had eaten them. They had instead used them to leave food on the Human Crew's chair and watched them shout out the minute they had sat on them.

One of the few moments were Caine and the others were in complete agreement.

"Look, I know you're not happy about being here but you don't have much of a choice." Sam sighed. "You could at least try and make some friends."

"Oh yeah. I can imagine how that conversation will go." Caine snorted. "Hello, you remember me? My name's Caine. Remember? I tried to take over and was probably the reason so many of your friends and families were killed plus there is the fact that I completely hate almost everyone, freak or normal. Or how about when I took the freaks that would not do as I say and covered their fists in cement blocks and starved them for days on end? But anyway. Let's forget all of that, why don't you and I be great friends?"

Sam hesitated and sighed. "Some people are more forgiven than you would expect."

"Yeah. Right." Caine snorted sceptically.

"You could try." Sam shrugged.

"And I could go and kiss Zil and his friends. But I'm not gonna."

"I give up!" Sam snapped, throwing his hands into the air.

"Good." Caine smiled coldly.

The two sat in silence and listened for the bell. When it went, the trudged back to the large classroom they were sharing. They were not really learning anything. Mostly they just sat around drawing pictures, or writing poems or stories or diary entries. For more keener people like Astrid there were sheets with questions and puzzles on to keep them busy. Mostly they just wanted everyone quiet, getting used to school life again.

As they made there way towards of the building, Sam ran into Derek. Literally.

"Watch it!" Derek growled, "Ya freak!"

He wrapped his arm tighter around of his younger sister, Jill the siren, and pulled her into the room. She kept her head down and pressed against her big brother.

Derek used to be OK. He was not perfect. He had been afraid of mutants and fear turned to anger pretty quickly. And he had backed up Zil for a very long time, even when it came to letting his own little sister be kicked out of her home and sent away on her own, tied up and gagged.

When they had gotten out of the FAYZ he grew slightly brave. He had been willing to attack Zil in order to let his father carry Jill away from Zane to safety.

But Jill had been caught.

Since she had gotten back, Derek had changed. He turned into a sort of thug only instead of bullying people for no reason, he became protective over Jill. He probably felt guily for being un able to protect her both in and out of the FAYZ so he was trying to make up for it. He attacked anyone that messed with Jill, be them mutant or normal. It had earned Derek a black eye and a fat lip but he still stood his ground.

Sam watched Derek and Jill hurry inside. He spotted Caine watching them go and reached up, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Come on, let's get inside."

Caine shrugged him off and they walked back inside.

The rest of the day was as hard as the beginning. Astrid, Taylor, Brianna, Quinn, Sam and Caine all sat together in a sort of hunch, trying to stay out of trouble. But it seemed to be pointless.

Lisa came over to make trouble for Taylor. It seemed she was using the teachers as an excuse to cause as much trouble as she could. Attacking Taylor in front of the teachers so that if she tried to retaliate then she would be the one to get in trouble. Taylor was her number one target but they did not know for how long that would be.

And Lisa was not the only one. Zil, Antoine, Hank, Turk and many others were attacking freaks at every chance they got.

Antoine pushed Jack down a flight of stairs. Turk put glue and paint all on Brianna's chair. Hank followed Nancy around the classroom throwing wet pieces of paper at her so it stuck in her hair. Mike scribbled horrible words all in Astrid's books, some just "freak" "mutant" "moof lover" but a few were nastier. "retard" "pe-tard sister" and a few more swear words.

Sam and Caine seemed to bear the worst of it though. Sam had been in charge and (in Zil's opinion) had purposely let freaks get away with anything (including murder) because he was one of them. And Caine because he had caused so much trouble to begin with.

So far, Zil had not only scribbled on Sam's book, pushed him into the basketball pole, spread nasty rooms about him and began trying to get as much freshly chewed bubble gum to stick to him as possible. But also gotten all of his friends to use small torches and make crude and horrible impressions of Sam when he failed to save a freak in the FAYZ. It was sick watching how he let so many people die...

While the whole of the classroom (even a few mutants!) spent most of there days playing the "Who Can Get Caine To Switch" game. They would throw things at him, call him names, attack him and abuse him in all ways they could think of. It was probably worse than anything else they could do and they knew it.

And of course none of the teachers did a thing about it.

"Come on. Come on. Come on. Come on." Brianna growled under her breath.

"The bell will go soon enough." Astrid said, but she was already packing her things and move up along her chair, angling her body towards of the door.

"Not soon enough." Brianna hissed.

"Tired." Caine mumbled. His first day of school had exhausted him completely.

"Yeah, we'll get home soon." Sam smiled at Caine.

"Brianna, up front." Mr Hope demanded so suddenly that quite a few people lifted their heads to see if he was upset or excited.

"Here we go again." Brianna moaned.

She disapeared from her seat and appeared in front of Mr Hope a little too quickly for his liking. He yelped and fell back, nearly falling right off of his chair in shock.

"Go back!" Mr Hope shouted, making the class jump. All those that had not been paying very much attention were now.

"What?" Brianna blinked.

"Go back to your seat and walk to the board!" he demanded.

"I did." Brianna blinked.

"Slower! We do not need to see you darting around the room like some sort of show off. And I assure you, that speed is nothing to show off." Mr Hope snarled, leaning over so his face was in hers. A few people giggled while others sent Brianna "sucks to be you" looks.

Brianna did not see the looks. She was too busy glaring at Mr Hope with pure hatred. She tried not to clench her fists but instead they hung by her side, twitching repeatedly. She took a breath and looked back at Sam. She wanted his guidance. He shook his head sharply and looked at her seat, telling her to just sit down.

Taking a breath, Brianna turned around and vanished back to her chair. She then stood up and walked to the front. She deliberately moved slower than normal but it still looked like she had just ran up to the front as quickly as she could.

Mr Hope sent her back three more times. Finally Brianna was practically moving in slow motion to and from her seat. At least it seemed that way to her. He made her do it five more times just to get it in her head at the speed she was meant to move at. When he was done he told her to move around the room once more before she could sit down and return to her work.

"Hate, hate, hate him." Brianna hissed, finally sitting down in her chair. She took five deep breaths. She did them as fast as she could to make up for the slow motion walking she did. There were angry tears that were biggining to sparkle in her eyes and everyone in the class was still staring at her.

"Just stay calm." Astrid nodded superiourly.

"Easy for you to say!" Brianna snapped. She picked up a pencil and began to scribble on her page so hard she tore the paper.

"How, exactly, is it easy for me?" Astrid frowned.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe because you don't actually have any powers!" Brianna growled. She looked like she might kick Astrid under the table.

Astrid seemed to be thinking along the same lines and twisted her body away from Brianna.

As the lesson went on, every known mutant was called up to the front of the class and embarrassed.

Taylor was made to walk from the room to the hallway and back again where Mr Hope asked her if that was so hard. Then he told her if anyone were to see Taylor bounce from one spit to another they were to tell him and she would have to walk into every single room of the school to prove how easy it was to walk rather than just appear there.

He brought Jill up and spoke to her about how some people just did not have the voice to sing, making her burst into tears and run from the room before he could even tell her to do anything. Derek quickly shouted at Mr Hope and ran after her before the two left the school without a look back.

Mr Hope went right up to Nancy and said if she wanted to make pictures move then all she had to think of was animation. He made her draw several stick me and just watch them without making them move. Then he asked if the message had sunk in that pictures were NOT supposed to move like that.

Sam went up and was forced to switch the light switch on and off repeatedly. He was asked questions about how he made light. In which he was supposed to answer "I turn the light switch." and if he didn't then he would continue to flick it on and off. When he finally answered every question with the same answer, he was allowed to sit down again.

And finally it was Caine's turn.

"Mr Soren, or Temple or whatever your name is." a few people laughed at that. Even Quinn surpressed a grin.

Caine walked up the front and stood there. Waiting. He was tense but determind not to be laughed at or shown up.

"Pick up that pencil." He did as told. "Now set it down." He did that too. "Now do it again."

Caine was supposed to pick up and set down a dozen different objects in the room around of them. Only it was what he was _supposed_ to do. Not what he did.

In the end he picked every chair (with students and all) up off of the floor and slammed them down beside of Mr Hope. He jumped backwards and scrambled to get out of the way as several other students landed around of him. Students shrieked and yelped, want to get back down to their feet, while a few others laughed as they flew through the air, enjoying the ride.

Sam jumped up and ran over but Caine just pushed him away. When he was done, Caine turned and smiled at Mr Hope with that cold smile he so often wore.

"Sorry. I forgote. How was I suppose to pick them up? I was just wondering as all... Why touch 'em when I don't have to?" Caine smirked.

It ended with Caine having detention for the rest of the week. He had to do lines on the board and would probably be told to do more stupid excersices like he had failed to do today. And because he was resonsible for him, so did Sam.

"Bloody..." Sam began but the rest of his words were drowned out by the bell.

Meanwhile, deep into the woods and hiding in an old shack known as Hermit Jim's house by the old coal mine, Nerezza slapped Drake across the face. And she did so hard. Hard enough to make Drake stumble to the side and have Raven wince, taking a step backwards in shock.

"Stupid boy! You do as you are told!" Nerezza snarled. "You could have ruined _EVERYTHING_!"

"What's it matter!" Drake spat back. He was shaking and his whip hand twitched from where it was wrapped around of his waste. "All I did was as you told me! So what if Pe-tard got caught too! What do you care?"

"I care because I need him!" Nerezza threw herself into a dusty chair and crossed her arms and legs under the pretty bright emerald green summer dress she was wearing, her hair falling down behind of her back. "Honestly! You had one job! Get as many freaks locked up... APART from Astrid and her brother! I wanted the freaks out the way so there would be no one stopping me from getting him! And the only way to keep him safe is to keep her safe!"

"Why do you need him?" Raven asked. She did not like Nerezza. As far as she was concerned she was just another enemy that would need dealing with later. But the fact that she could get away with slapping Drake with no punishment from the boy meant she was bad news and frighteningly powerful.

"Simple really. I need his power. He and I together will do it..." Nerezza whispered. Her green eyes were suddenly bright. Alive with excitment.

"Do what?" Drake frowned. Whip twitching around his waist some more.

"We will re create the FAYZ!"


	22. Chapter 22

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I am keeping this story going for a while. I am just so into it and there is so much stuff that I can do! Sorry if you think it is on for too long!_**

_I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter :( That makes me sad. But I couldn't resist updating because at the moment I am enjoying what is going on! But please, please, please review or I might not be able to update my story as much as I normally do. (Especially if I keep getting reviews for all the other stories I am doing...)_

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty Two<span>

"You're going to what?" Raven blinked.

She slowly walked over and settled down on her knees staring at Nerezza. She was so pretty. The fact that she was showing off her bare legs and bare arms showed that she knew it too. She wore a pair of emerald green soft shoes to match her dress and looked over at Drake with her bright matching green eyes. Her hair was pushed into a sort of side fringe and a few strands fell down in front of her shoulders making her skin all the more crystal white and clear.

"Start up the FAYZ again." Nerezza shrugged like it was no big deal. She showed no other sign of noticing Raven. Whether she liked the girl and wanted her around was a mystery. But she was useful as long as she done as Nerezza said.

"Why?" Raven frowned. Raven hated the FAYZ as much as any other kids. She had been in Coates for a very long time, but then she had left when the food began to run low. It was hard living on her own, animals were few and anything else was even fewer. Raven forced herself to survive with her own will power and determination. She had finally found a small spot with filthy water and rotting fruit. It made her sick but it also kept her alive. When she had gotten out she was one of the many children rushed to hospital for a few months to keep her alive.

Then her parents arrived. They had stared at Raven like she was some kind of nasty zit. Her younger sister, the angel of the family, sneered nastily as her parents confessed to sending Raven to the lab. They claimed it was to cure her but she knew they just wanted her gone before she could cause any more trouble for them at home. All Raven had ever really wanted to do was use her powers in the real world. What was the point of having powers if she could only share them with a few people that had already seen so many amazing things. Now she was out she could use them to impress people and get people to do what she wanted. Raven wanted to travel across the world and declare herself Queen or ruler over some small ass village by threatening them with her powers.

She didn't want to start the FAYZ up and she didn't like Nerezza very much. So she didn't have a problem arguing with the other girl.

"I say, why?" Raven repeated.

"Shut it." Drake snapped sharply.

Raven looked at Drake and scowled at him. But she stayed silent. She wasn't stupid enough to mess with him. At least not yet.

"Look, you don't need to worry about this." Nerezza said standing. "All you need to worry about is staying out of sight."

"What do you mean?" Drake blinked.

"I mean, I need you." Nerezza said, walking towards of the door. "So for now I need you to stay hidden. I cannot risk you getting caught." she then looked at Raven. "You on the other hand, my dear, can do whatever you like. Because I honestly could not care less."

Raven looked very angry and glared at the back of Nerezza's head.

Then Nerezza was gone. Through the door and outside. She walked with her head high in the hot sun and her feet feeling every single stone, crack and bump under her feet through the thin soft shoes. Her hands swung calmly by her side and her dress seemed to wave around of her knees gently.

Her first, personal, job was pretty simple. Keep Sam distracted and away from Astrid and Little Pete. It would be pretty simple in her mind anyway, since all she had to do was keep his mind on Caine.

Poor pathetic, precious, messed up Caine. Nerezza sneered at the thought. He really was one screwed up kid. And that just made it all the easier for her to play him. The fact that her hooks were in his mind was only the beginning. Caine was easy to manipulate because he was so messed up. Because he didn't know what the difference between up and down was.

While she walked, Nerezza's body began to change slightly. She grew taller, taller and taller still. She grew only slightly chubbier but she was still very pretty. Her hair actually shrank back down into her head until it only just brushed her shoulder in a small bob, and her breasts seemed to grow as well. Most of her body slowly shifted and changed shape slightly so by the time she found herself walking down the streets of Perdido Beach, Nerezza no longer looked like a teenage girl. Instead she looked like a very young adult woman.

Smiling coldly, Nerezza then walked towards the home where a young woman lived. Get rid of her first. Then she could move in.

**...**

"What are you doing home so late?" Connie blinked.

"Ask him." Sam grumbled, thumbing Caine. Then he sighed and shook his head, shutting the door behind of him and dropping his bag on the floor at the same time. "No, not his fault. Let's just say the teachers are more anti-freak than I realized."

"Hold on, I'll get you your dinner and maybe a nice warm drink." Connie nodded. "You can tell me about it while you eat."

Neither boy had realized just how hungry they were. They sat down and put as much food into their mouths as they could. Sam told Connie everything that had happened today while Caine just sat back and relaxed. He seemed like he might be growing a head ache the way he was rubbing his temples and his scalp.

"I'm sorry you both had a bad day, but just think. They are only beginning. They are not used to it yet. When they relax a bit more they won't be so hard on you." Connie smiled.

"Doubt it." Sam mumbled, setting his plate down by his feet.

"Either way. I would feel better if you pushed ahead and tried to keep going..." Connie mumbled, staring at him through sad eyes. "But if you really can't handle it..."

"No, no, no." Sam shrugged quickly, "I can handle it. Just-" he paused "-You know." he nudged his head to Caine.

"I've got a split personality. Not a head full of air." Caine said suddenly turning dark eyes on Sam. "I know when you're talking about me."

"Split personailty? Is that what they're calling it? I thought you just had an attitude problem." Sam smiled, coldly. He didn't mean to be nasty. He was still just rather sore about Caine making him stay for a detention because he couldn't pick a few objects up.

"Enough you two." Connie frowned.

Suddenly there was a very gentle but loud knock on the door. Just before a real fight could start between the two boys. Connie instantly stood and left the room, walking over to answer it.

"Look, Sam, if you don't like me here, then send me off to the lab." Caine smirked. "But you wouldn't. Would you? Cause you're just Mr Goody Two Shoes who has to help everyone he can."

"Shut it!" Sam snapped.

Then they heard two voices from out in the hallway. One bellonged to Connie but the other was unfamiliar. Sam had certainly heard it before but he couldn't really place it properly.

"So sorry. I mean, no one knows what happened to her. She's just disapeared and everyones pretty worried, but they didn't want to leave poor Caine all alone. Not when he needed help. And you, you probably need some sort of comfort and help as well." The new voice said. "So I offered to take over for Mrs Kelton."

Caine and Sam looked at one another and shared identical confused looks before they looked back at the door.

"Oh it's OK. Thank you. I am glad we have someone as nice as you. Honestly Mrs Kelton was not very happy about mutants..." Connie whispered.

"But why? I mean, they didn't choose to be that way." The new voice gasped.

"I know but I suppose she was scared." Connie said just as she appeared in the doorway.

Sam's eyes widened and he gasped loudly. The reason Nerezza had not been in school as a kid was because she had changed into an adult and was possing as one to get into Sam's house! It was her! She looked just like her! She may be older but she was still Nerezza. She even wore a green dress with green shoes to match those bright green eyes that he quite often saw her wearing in order to show off and attract attention to her. In a good way at least.

For a while, Sam was frozen. He heard what Connie said. He heard her explain that Nerezza was to be taking over as Caine social worker who went missing. Only she didn't use Nerezza's full name. Instead she just called her Ezza. And Caine smirked and grinned slightly when he heard that Kelton was gone. Happy to be free of her.

Sam stared at Nerezza but she completely ignored him and walked over to Caine, gently taking his hand. He stared at her suspiciously but did not pull away.

"It is so good to see you." Nerezza smiled. "I hope I can help you."

"Get away from him!" Sam shrieked.

Jumping up, he slapped at Nerezza with as much force he could and got between of Caine and her sharply. Caine yelped and jumped to his own feet, staring at Sam in shock and confusion. Nerezza fell back and was only caught by Connie just in time. Her eyes were wide with fake confusion.

"Stay the hell away from him!" Sam shouted. He reached back and took Caine's hand, giving a gentle squeeze to make sure he was behind of him.

"Sam..." Caine whispered, switching. "Sam..."

"Sam! What has gotten into you?" Connie gasped, helping Nerezza back to her feet.

"That's Nerezza!" Sam shouted.

"No." Nerezza gasped. "My name is Ezza. A nickname short for Issabel. Nerezza is my daughter."

"Sam calm down-" Connie began.

"Don't bull shit me!" Sam snapped. "You stay away from Caine."

"I am only trying to help." Nerezza whispered. She looked back at Connie, "Is he alright? Does he have a social worker? Someone to help him?"

"Oh shut it!"

Sam felt Caine was pressing against him, clutching his arm and hiding behind of him. He was scared. He was confused. He needed Sam to protect him. And that was just what Sam planned to do.

"Sam, enough!" Connie snapped. It shocked him and he stared at her. "I know you're having a hard time but Ezza is here to help. Whatever this Nerezza girl has done to you when you were inside the dome is in the passed and I am sure, like every other bad child out there, she feels bad for what she did."

"No! I told you about her! Mum she-" Sam began.

"She's not well." Ezza whispered. "In the head. Whatever she said or done she isn't well."

"You hear that, Sam?" Connie frowned. "She isn't well. Just like Caine isn't well. And look at what you've done to him!"

Sam looked back. Caine was crying and staring at Sam, waiting for Sam to do something. To tell him what to do. To help him.

"No. She's lying." Sam growled. "Ask Astrid! She'll tell you! Her and John, Mary, Jill, Orsay!"

"Sam!" Connie snapped.

"She's working with Drake!" Sam screamed.

"Enough!" Connie strode over and grabbed Sam and shook him by the shoulders. "Listen to yourself! This is a grown woman! There were no adults in the dome! Her daughter is sick like you're brother and you are not helping either of them!" she stepped back but didn't let go of Sam's arms. "Now just calm down! Calm down and let Ezza do her job so she can go home to her own daughter."

Sam stared at Connie. He couldn't believe this! He turned and looked at Nerezza to find her keeping up the act even with Connie's back turned. Looking confused and scared. He looked at Caine who just looked terrified, still clinging to Sam's arm, unable to do anything but stand there.

"Mum." Sam whispered desperately, "Listen to me. Please. It's her. I know it is."

"I am so sorry for this." Connie sighed, looking at Nerezza. "Why don't you and Caine sit and talk, maybe calm him down. I'll take Sam upstairs with me and give you some privacy."

"MUM!" Sam shrieked.

Caine sobbed and threw himself against Sam. His arms around of his waist in a desperate sort of hug. Sam wrapped his own arm around of him as protection, staring at Connie. Begging her to understand. Begging her to see he was not loosing it. He knew it sounded crazy and she probably didn't really believe half of what he had told her about the FAYZ since there was no proof, but still! She had believe him now! She had to!

"Mum!" Sam snapped.

In reply, Connie grabbed Sam and tried to pry Caine off of him. Caine shrieked loudly in fear and clung to Sam. Sam just shrieked in fury and tried to bat Connie off, keeping a firm arm around Caine at all times. Only he seemed to notice the slight smile spreading across Nerezza's lips. But then, as quickly as it grew, it vanished and she stepped forwarding looking quite afraid.

"Can I help?" Nerezza asked.

"No!" Sam roared.

"Um, could you maybe come back at a better time?" Connie smiled weakly.

Nerezza hesitated but nodded. "Of course. I'm sorry. I should have checked that this was OK."

"No!" Connie gasped. "No it's fine. It's great. I'm glad you're Caine's new social worker. It is just that we're a little muddled at the moment... Why don't you come back another time and we'll be all settled down."

"Alright..." Nerezza bowed her head. "I'll show myself out."

Connie nodded and tried to pull Caine away from Sam. She gave up when she finally heard the door slam. Then she threw her hands into the air and threw herself down onto the large sofa, watching her sons. Caine was still hugging Sam tightly, crying. Sam was holding Caine and shaking. He took a breath and rubbed Caine's back gently.

"Sam... I don't know what had gotten into you but-" Connie began, she looked flushed.

"What has gotten into me is that that woman is not a woman! It's Nerezza! The evil girl that was really the darkness! The darkness that killed so many people and made Caine the way he is today!" Sam shouted.

"Sam. Listen to yourself. I believed the stuff on mutant powers and that there was some creature killing people. I believed you when you told me how the students were turning against one another and I believed you when you told me about the hunger and that there were strange mutation of animals. But I cannot believe this." Connie whispered. "You have to admit this is far fetched."

"But not as far fetched as mutated animals?" Sam snapped. "You never saw any proof of these animals mutations but you believed me! Why won't you believe me about Nerezza!"

"Because..." Connie took a breath. "Because I cannot believe that a little girl that was no doubt sick in the head was really some dark mutated alien monster. You and the others had all been through so much. You saw death, starvation, dehydration and more. It is understandable if you thought you saw things..."

"I didn't think I saw things! I did see things!" Sam shrieked. Caine whimpered and buried his face in Sam's shoulder.

"I just spoke to Nerezza's mum. You said there were no adults in the dome." Connie was trying to stay calm but she was finding it hard. "You need to understand that there are some people, some things, that are real and some that aren't."

Sam was shaking. "Mum. I can't let you do this. If you give Caine to that woman then you might as well be signing his death certificate."

Connie stared at Sam in silence. She looked at Caine who was still weeping against Sam's torso, trying to gasp for breath.

"I know this is hard for you, but you are no longer in the dome. You are safe. There are not people after you no matter where you go and adults are the ones who are in charge now. I want you to understand that... And remember it when Ezza comes back next time to see Caine."

"MUM!" Sam screamed.

"Please Sam." Connie whispered, sounding truly tired. "Just go to bed. Take Caine and try to calm him down."

Sam stared at her like he couldn't believe. Then he knew there was nothing he could do or say to make her believe him. At least not tonight.

It took half of the night to calm Caine down. He sat him down on his bed and tried to talk to him. When that failed he lay him down and played a CD from his mini Stereo in hopes to sooth him and put him to sleep. In the end he lay beside of him, whispering stories.

The stories lost meaning halfway through and he was rambling and repeating himself. But it calmed Caine down and the boy found his eye lids growing heavy. It didn't take him long before his breathing was heavy and he relaxed his body.

Sam stared at Caine while he slept. His brothers face was so peaceful when he was sleepy, even if his eyes were red and there were dried tears on his pink cheeks. The fact that his noes was crusted over slightly with mucus didn't even effect his good looks. It just made him seem younger. He was sometimes still the same Caine that Sam knew in the FAYZ but at the same time he was different and not just because of the switching part.

Silently, Sam promised that he would keep Nerezza away from Caine. Even if it meant having Connie hate him for a while.

Leaning forward, Sam gently kissed Caine's forehead and lay back, shutting his own eyes.

**...**

"It's understandable..." Astrid said that morning as they walked to the school.

"How exactly is it understandable?" Sam hissed. Caine was wandering behind of them slowly. He had been quiet since he woke up to find himself snuggling into Sam that morning with sore eyes and a sore throat.

"She's scared. Like everyone else." Astrid shrugged. "She's scared and she doesn't want to believe anymore than she has to. Especially if she thinks this person can take Caine off of her hands for a few hours."

"That's selfish." Sam snarled.

"Some people are, even if they don't mean to be." Astrid said, shrugging again. She turned to face him. "Many siblings who dumped their brothers and sisters off on Mary could be called selfish and I could be called selfish because of the things I thought when taking care of Petey."

"You're not selfish, Astrid." Sam whispered, taking her hand.

She turned to smile at him. "If you knew how I felt... You might think differently. The point is, you can't go against your mother-"

"What? You want me to let Nerezza have Caine?" Sam snapped. Caine looked up and Sam blushed, ducking away.

Caine still had no idea who Nerezza was, or how she was linked to the darkness. It was pure luck that Caine had not remembered any of that scene when Sam had fought to keep Caine away from Nerezza but if he kept shouting he would learn it soon enough.

"She was right when she said parents are in charge." Astrid pressed. "You're no longer in charge and you can't even argue with them anymore because sometimes parents just don't listen." she stopped and faced Sam. "The only thing you can do, that will truly help keep him safe. Is to play along. Beat her at her own game Sam."


	23. Chapter 23

_**Picking Up The Pieces**_

**_Other: I enjoyed this chapter! Get prepared to hate Mr Hope and the Human Crew even more!_**

_**Arrowkid21:** I know how you feel:L That;s the trouble with smart characters that annoy you. The fact is they are right some time:L lol and I wasn't going to have Nerezza in it that much either but I got some ideas. I might make the story last longer (if people do not mind) or make a sequel (if they think it has gone on fo too long) where Nerezza gets cut out and our favourite psycho-path DRAKE MERWIN! Be the big badie :D ... Wow, long reply:L  
><strong>Alyssa:<strong> Lol, thanks, comments like that really make me feel so happy! :D  
><strong>MehTheFreakaZoid:<strong> Glad you like my story and that I can brighten a very boring school day. Because I know all too well what they are like. _

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty Three<span>

"Nerezza showed up in class." Astrid whispered at break in Sam's ear. She looked back at the girl. There was no reason to keep her voice down since she was way across the grounds but she still felt the need to whisper as long as Nerezza could be seen. "Maybe she really does have a mum."

"No. She's just switching back and forth so she can play with Caine's mind." Sam snarled.

"Sam..." Astrid began slowly.

"I don't care. I know that 'Ezza' woman was really Nerezza, and I know that Nerezza is not a real girl. She couldn't possibly have a real mother. Therefore she has to be the same person!" Sam snapped.

"Unless maybe Nerezza was possessed." Astrid shrugged.

"No, Astrid." Sam snapped.

Astrid was quickly losing her patients. "It is a possibility! There are thousands of possibilities!"

Sam and Astrid glared at one another. They didn't speak until Quinn walked over to see what was wrong and even then they purposely spoke to him and him alone.

Caine watched them for a moment. Just enjoying the show as the "Golden Couple" had yet another fight. Sometimes he felt watching them was better than watching some soppy TV show. But then turned his attention back on the crowd of students around of him.

He really did hate being with Sam and his friends. He didn't want friends of his own. Friends were useless. The only person Caine would even truly need for company would be Diana. No, Caine didn't want friends. He wanted allies. People to stand by him and do what he said when and where he said it.

The only problem was that none of them trusted him anymore. And even if they trusted him then they would probably use him, or take advantage of him, or worse. While he was sick then he would never be able to really get back to his original status. For now, he was weak and pathetic. He hated it and hated everyone out there. But if he bid his time... Then soon he would be back.

Caine glared at Zil and his friends while they crossed the grounds towards the school's main doors. But first, before he got allies and sorted himself out again, it was time to get rid of a very stupid pain.

"Caine? What are you staring at?" Sam frowned down at him.

"Oh my God! Seriously! Do I have to inform you on every single thing I do?" Caine demanded. "OK, how's this. I am staring into space. Now I am talking to you. Oh and I'm breathing and I'm sitting on the grass and I'm getting annoyed at you and I'm still talking..."

"I get it!" Sam growled. "I get it."

Caine smirked and turned back to the children again. A few more had come back to school but not many.

There was a rumor that Jill and Derek were now being home schooled so would not be returning. But Taylor and Brianna had managed to stay. Nancy had also disapeared for the morning but had come in later on and Lys came back into school in the morning with her head held high, ignoring everything that Lisa and the rest of the Human Crew threw at her. For some reason John was back but Mary had not returned yet... And Jack appeared one day.

When Brianna saw him, her jaw just dropped open for a moment. Then she darted over to him so quickly it was like she had developed Taylor's power rather than speed. And then she hugged him like there was no tomorrow.

Gagging slightly Caine turned away from the twelve year old love and looked around the rest of the area. There were still so many people that had chosen to stay home. Hunter was at home under constant care being home schooled because of the brain damage. He might go to a special school since there had been talk of his parents moving but that was as far as Caine's knowlegde went with that freak.

Penny, Dekka and Bug had all appeared at one time or another at the school.

Dekka to talk to Sam, say a goodbye again to him and Brianna before leaving. It was probably a good thing she wasn't here while Jack came back to school. The sight probably would have made her cry. Caine smirked at the thought of Dekka sobbing like a baby.

Penny so that she could settle up with Diana, they both claimed the other owed them and in the end settled happily with "We're even!". Then she turned to the others, flipped them the finger and left. The only other sign that she had been here was when the head teacher suddenly began screaming that a three headed monster was trying to tear out his eyes...

And finally Bug. Now Caine was happy Bug was still around. It turned out he never left, he was just wandering around, spying on people, sleeping in deserted houses, stealing food. Not much different from when he was in the FAYZ. Caine was glad because that could very well mean that he would be useful to him. Maybe he could bribe Bug with a place to stay and large portions of food.

He needed to know these things. Caine wanted to know these things. It helped to have a slight advantage of whose where and whose doing what. Information was power, after all.

"The bell will go in a minute." Astrid said, stiffly.

No one moved.

"See ya." Astrid stood. She snatched her bag from the ground by her feet and stormed off. Things were so much easier for her when she just sat on her own and read during her breaks. But while some people, like Quinn and Sam, got to be friends again and Edilio and Sam broke apart, a few people like Sam and Astrid wanted to try and make it work.

The question was, will it work or not? Because at the moment it seemed like it wasn't going to work.

Sam watched her go. He wanted to go after her, maybe hold her and kiss her, tell her she was right and everything was going to be OK. But at the same time he was still so angry with her!

"We better go inside." Sam said, standing up.

"You mean like Astrid just said." Caine sneered.

"Why don't you shut it." Quinn growled, he put his arm over Sam's shoulders. "Come on. Who needs her. All she does in whine at you. You'd think she'd be less tight now the FAYZ is over but of course not."

Caine trudged along behind of the two as they walked. He watched as Sam nodded his head and tried to pretend that he didn't care. Obviously he cared. It was Sam! He couldn't NOT care! That was just who he was.

They went back to classes as normal and sat down at the desks. Astrid was sitting away from them now beside of John. Jack and Brianna sat down, side by side, with the rest of the group and Taylor quickly claimed the spare seat next to Sam.

Mr Hope walked in with a sneer already firmly placed on his lips. Every mutant tensed. A sneer meant that he was in a wicked good mood. And that kind of mood left all of the mutants in bad moods.

"We're going to start seperating the class." Mr Hope explained.

"What?" Astrid frowned, sitting up.

"We're seperating the classes again. Less on age and more on how smart you are. We know certain people will be at different levels so we wont bother with ages or what classes you were in before." his smile was ice cold.

"What classes? Who will we be with?" A rather large fat girl asked. She was one of those girls that were over weight, ugly, stupid and yet still thought she was better than everyone else. Especially freaks. But Sam still couldn't put a name to the face.

"You will be taking a set of tests for maths, science and english. We will seperate you in those areas and teach you from there." he explained.

No one spoke. No one liked tests and those that did were worried. Astrid was afraid of being stupid from when she had not studied for so long. Brianna was afriad of people thinking freaks were stupid. Taylor was afraid they would be horrible questions specificly chosen to make freaks even more outcast and Quinn and Sam were just worried that Mr Hope would grade unfairly even if they had the same answers as normal people. And even Caine was nervous about being on a class on his own. He would be in trouble if he switched and Sam or Astrid were not there to help.

As the papers were handed out everyone remained silence. Kids were moved around so there was a space apart between every single child. This wasn't hard to do since there were so many empty parts.

Sam stared down at the English paper. It started off very simple. Pick the write spelling for short words. The words grew harder over the two pages. Then it got more complicated. Soon he was burrying his face in his hands and suppressing moans.

Astrid was flipping through the paper with ease, while Brianna and Taylor were getting stuck halfway through. Caine answered sluggishly, not really caring what grade he got in the end. Jack was shaking and staring at the paper with wide eyes like he couldn't believe they would give them such a hard question on a book he had never even heard of!

Maths was no better. Simple questions to begin with. The kind that a five year old could do before it grew into the algebra and detailed problem solving.

A boy near the front (a brother of one of the human crew) burst into tears and sat there weeping. Mr Hopes knelt beside of him and whisper softly. He was kind and gently encouraged him to do some more, promising this paper didn't mean he was smart or stupid. It was so they could help him.

Taylor snorted and whispered to Sam. "Wonder what he'd say to a freak that burst into tears."

"Oih!" Mr Hope snapped immediately. "No talking!"

Taylor scowled and went back to her times table.

Science was the worst. It didn't exactly start as easy as the first two apart from basic human knowledge. But questions had been added that were not originally on the paper.

Like how the human body worked. Question like true or false ones. Like the speed an average person could run, clearly implied towards Brianna. Questions about how the body molicules and DNA worked as a solid, directed towards Taylor's bouncing. Questions about objects and weight directed at Jack. Questions about the brain and how it must work when moving objects directed at Caine. Questions about heat sources and how much the body could take or control directed towards of Sam. And so on!

Lys whimpered at first but quickly stiffened and calmly answered her question. Nancy leaned over and grinned. Lys had clearly answered that stopping the force of the world revolving around the sun was pretty easy when you could stop time. Nancy winked at Lys and the two girls smothered giggles under their breath.

No one left the hall. They all answered the test and then sat back, waiting for others to finish.

"Thank you. We'll be finishing early today so we can go through the paper work." Mr Hopes explained. "Off you go."

"How do you think you did?"

Sam looked up to find Astrid stanidng over him. She was looking nervous as if waiting for him to snap at her.

Instead he smiled, stood up and took her hand while pulling his bag onto his shoulder at the same time. "Probably terribly compared to you."

Astrid nodded and whispered. "I'm scared. I'm scared they're going to seperate all of the mutants. They're enough classes to do so... And certainly enough teachers... Because they knew we're stronger when we're together..."

"Shh." Sam whispered and wrapped his arm around her in a one armed hug. "Don't worry. We'll be fine."

"Move it freak!" Lisa spat suddenly from the front of the class. Shoving Lys down onto the ground in front of the teachers. They barely twitched as she crashed over a set of chairs.

"You move it!" Nancy shrieked. Although younger, the girl caught Lisa by surprise and tackled her to the ground.

Suddenly the two were rolling around and tearing at one anothers hair. Lisa threw slaps while Nancy used her elbow. They knocked into tables and kicked out at chairs. Lys was screaming and the teachers were also swearing. Kids ran back into the room, standing around cheering one of the girls on. Mutants cheering for Nancy. Others cheering for Lisa.

Sam ran over with Brianna and they tried to pull the girls apart. Sam because he was so used to being in charge and doing this but Brianna purely because she was so used to following whatever Sam did.

Sam wrapped his arms around of Lisa and lifted her off of Nancy. The girls continued to kick and scratch at each other, screaming. Suddenly Mr Hopes was shoving Brianna out of the way. He pushed her so hard she went face first into the floor and sat up fuming. He then grabbed Sam's arm and ripped him off of Lisa.

Sam was about to yell when he grabbed Nancy by the arm and dragged her to her feet. Another teacher had snatched a hold of Brianna and the three of them were moved towards of the front of the classroom.

"You are all in so much trouble!" Mr Hope roared. "Fighting? Not in my room!"

"Lisa started it!" Nancy sobbed. She was crying and looked a mess with a bright red face.

"From what I saw, you jumped on poor Lisa!" Mr Hope snarled.

"She shoved Lys!" Nancy cried. Her nose was beginning to run and tears ran down her cheeks. Brianna was still fuming at Mr Hope from pushing her down and Sam was no good with comfort. Lucky Astrid stepped forward and hugged Nancy.

"She's right sir!" Astrid said. "We saw it all happen."

"Be quiet you!" Mr Hope roared making Astrid and Nancy jump.

"What did we do?" Sam said finally as Nancy continued to cry. "We just tried to break it up."

"A likely story." Mr Hope snarled.

"I could get you done!" Brianna shrieked. "You attacked a student! I could get you done and fired and sue you!"

Mr Hope dropped his voice so only the four of them could hear him. "Good luck with that, you stupid little freak. No one would listen to you. Now shut up."

Brianna looked like she might lunge across the desk and strangle him at that very moment. She was shaking, that was for sure, and her eyes were alive and deadly. But then she shook her head in disgust and settled for swearing darkly under her breath.

"You all have detention. As for you, Mr Temple, you already have detention, don't you?" he sneered. "Make it double."

"You're a prick." Caine laughed. He was leaning against the table with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

"Excuse me?" Mr Hope whispered, sounding quite threateningly.

"Oh I'm sorry? Hard of hearing? I said... You... Are... AAAAA... Prrriiiiicckkkk" Caine sneered. "And a very ugly one at that."

Mr Hope seemed to lose the remaining colour in his face. Walking around the desk, Mr Hope came to a stop in front of Caine. He towered over Caine but Caine just smirked, seeming unintimidated by him. He leaned back, arms crossed over his chest with one leg losely crossed over the other.

"Prick, prick, prick." Caine said.

"Caine." Sam hissed.

"Who do you think you are?" Mr Hope growled. "Another week of detention."

"I think I'm Caine Soren. Yes, Soren. Not Temple." Caine rolled his eyes at the name. "And I think you're one sad old prick who's scared because we freaks are stronger, smarter and braver than you'll ever be. You're probably some pedo too which is why I've seen you get more agressive with the girls than the boys."

Mr Hope froze. So did half the class. Sam was slowly making his way over, he tried to talk. Tried to get Caine to shut up and show Mr Hope it was joke but he was silenced with a wave of the hand. He opened his mouth but Caine cut in again.

"Oh and I mean it in the sense that you are afraid people will find our your gay so you're purposely avoiding the boys." Caine smirked.

It was halfway through the word 'boys' that he stopped talking. He stopped talking because Mr Hope rose his hand and hit him across the face. Back handing him so hard he was knocked off of his feet and down to the ground hard. He made a loud thumping sound when he hit the ground and let out a shout in pain and shock.

No one moved. Everyone, even the human crew, had frozen and were staring at Caine. Then at Mr Hope. Mr Hope still had his hand stretched out but he was looking as shocked as everyone else. He stood there. Then lowered his hand and glared down at Caine.

"Get up."

"Now you'll get it..." Brianna whispered. She seemed rather gleeful about Mr Hope back handing Caine. Rather pleased honestly. "One thing to push someone down. But you hit him. Hard. Now you're done!" She laughed loudly. "That's enough to even leave a mark!"

"I don't think so." Mr Hope snarled. He turned on the Human Crew. "What did you lot see?"

"I saw Caine tripped!" Zil jumped in immediately. "He was being nasty to you! He stepped forward and tripped over his own freaky feet!"

"Exactly." Hr Hope said, more confident now. He had been worried before. Worried he had taken it too far and that they wouldn't back him up.

"Are you kidding me?" Sam snapped. Brianna's jaw dropped and her eyes looked like they might pop out from her skull. She began a ring of swear words as Sam continued to shout. "You can't smack him like that and get away with it!"

Caine had sat up, pushing himself to his knees, but his head was down and he was shaking. He clutched his face and tears blinked from his eyes.

"All of you get out of here." Mr Hope growled. Pushing passed Sam. "You will start your detentions tomorrow."

Brianna was still swearing as Sam dragged her and Caine from the classroom.


	24. Chapter 24

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: I cannot wait for Fear to come out! So excited!  
>Also, since it is near Christmas would anyone want a Christmas chapter about Lana or another certain chapter? Or maybe I can do a whole other one shot but it would probably be very short. I want your opinions!<br>Oh and sorry for the late update ^/^_**

**_Mia:_**_ I'll help *holds up axe*. And that's exactly why I put it :L Here's the next chapter!  
><strong>Alyssa:<strong> I know but don't worry, payback will be soon: D  
><strong>Layla:<strong> (Love your name btw :D) lol, thank you so much! Glad you love my story so much.  
><strong>Terri M: <strong>Don't worry; Caine will get his vengeance... That teacher's gonna get his assed kicked soon!  
><strong>MaximumRide1:<strong> Wow! Thank you so much! That makes me so happy to hear! Honestly!  
><strong>Nuthead:<strong> I know he is such a douche.  
><strong>Vanessa:<strong>Glad you like my story so much! It really means a lot and so here is the next chapter, and don't worry, Sam's gonna protect his baby twin brother._

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty Four<span>

"You should have let me on him, Sam!" Brianna screamed, drawing attention from near by people that just happened to be passing by.

"And get in even more trouble?" Sam snapped back. He was sick of everyone attacking him from doing the right thing. He was holding a piece of ice to Caine's cheek. Caine was keeping his head down but his hands were clenched into fists and they were shaking viciously. Sam wasn't sure if he was still switched or if he had returned back to normal.

"We cannot let him get away with this! First pushing me down like that? Then hitting out at students? I'm not gonna pretend I give a damn about Caine, because I don't, plain and simple. But where does it end?" Brianna screamed. She turned and kicked a branch, sending it skirting across the grass. "Who else is he gonna smack around when they don't do as he says? And with the Human Crew he can get away with it!"

"She's right, Sam." Astrid said, surprising everyone.

"I am?" Brianna blinked.

"Yes." Astrid nodded sadly, sitting down on a bench beside of Caine.

"Yeah!" Brianna smiled, more confident. "I am!"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked.

"I mean that this is only the beginning." Astrid said quietly. "The minute he knows he can get away with hitting mutants he will do it more. He will get worse and worse, pushing the limits of what he can get away with. Brianna's right. We need to put a stop to it before he can go too far. We don't actually know when he will stop. He might seriously hurt someone or even decide to hurt normal people that he feels are so much as friends with mutants and before you know it we're back in the lab with the others. We need to stop it..." she repeated.

"How are we supposed to do that?" Taylor snorted from where she was sitting closely beside of Sam. "We complain the Human Crew get involved and argue against us. And since there are more of them we will lose. And if we fight back then we'll get in trouble."

"There has to be something!" Brianna snapped, glaring at Taylor.

"Whatever. I'm going home. You know, back to reality." Taylor snorted and vanished.

Astrid glared at the spot Taylor had once preoccupied. Then she turned her eyes on Sam, Caine and Brianna.

"Well I don't think we need to go to anyone." Astrid went on. "The fact is some people need to be intimidated."

"You, Astrid, are honestly suggesting we scare a teacher?" Brianna said slowly. Then grinned. "I'm starting to like you after all."

"But Taylor was right... If we do anything to him then he will just get us in trouble. He'll find ways to get the police on us or worse!" Sam sighed.

"Then we make sure he knows we're serious!" Brianna snapped. "It's our only option, Sam!"

"I'll do it."

Everyone looked surprised as they turned to find Caine smirking where he sat. He didn't try to knock Sam's hand away as he held the ice to his cheek but he was purposely avoiding looking at his brother. Staring into space with the smirk spread from ear to ear like the Cheshire cat.

"I'll do it. I want payback. Plus everyone knows me. I'm sick in the head." Caine rolled his eyes; like he didn't believe what he had could be called a sickness or any problem what's-so-ever. "We play insanity card if we have to and even if people hate me. They wouldn't be able to really say I did it without being worried I might possibly have switched."

"Why would you want more people to think you're weak?" Brianna growled.

"I couldn't care less." Caine sneered. "I just wanna show that prick that he doesn't mess with me."

"Caine, more people will want to get you in trouble. That plan could very well backfire, especially if you do it." Sam explained.

"Like I care! I want pack back! Beside, I want out of this crappy town anyway. So if they run me out then that just makes things even better for me." Caine snorted.

"Caine..." Sam began angrily.

"Let him." Brianna said. "If he wants to do it then let him."

"Stay out of this." Sam hissed.

"It's his choice." Brianna said.

"No it isn't! He's not well to make a choice like this." Sam growled. "This is serious stuff and all you want is for him to get into trouble so he won't go to the school or be in your life anymore."

"Excuse me?" Caine snarled, standing up and knocked the ice from Sam's numb fingers. It fell to the floor and rolled slightly before stopping where it would melt under the hot sun. "I'm not well enough to make a choice? As far as I know, this is my life. You have no say to tell me what I can and cannot do. And for the record, Sammy, I spent a good few years with my parents and with Coates doing my own choices. I made them and some may have been bad. I feel most were good for me. But they were mine. I made the choice and I paid for them either way. Or I was rewarded. So don't start treating me like some three years old who can't do things his own way."

"Caine!" Sam snapped, standing up.

"I know I'm a few minutes younger than you, but I'm not your baby brother." Caine snarled. He snatched up his bag and stormed off, calling over his shoulder. "I get enough of people treating me like that because of the switches. So no, Sam, I do not need it from you when I am perfectly fine!" he paused. "And I don't even like you anyway!"

"Caine." Sam moaned. He stood up and glared at Brianna. "Thanks."

"What did I do?" Brianna scowled.

Sam ignored her and waved weakly to Astrid as he marched after Caine. She seemed as confused as Brianna about what just happened. And when Astrid The Genius was confused then everyone else should be as well. The two girls stayed where they were and watched the two boys running off. Brianna swore nastily under her breath, waved to Astrid so fast she didn't actually see it, before dashing back home faster than Astrid could see.

"Caine! I'm sorry, OK! I'm just trying to look out for you." Sam shouted as he ran up and caught a hold of Caine's shoulder.

"I don't need you to look out for me." Caine snarled. "I wish we could go back to the FAYZ when we hated each other happily! Because I really do hate you, Sam. And you hated me. And I was happy with that! I seriously don't know why you suddenly decided to want me around-"

"I decided I wanted to help because I you are my brother and it is what family does for one another!" Sam snapped.

"Yeah. Whatever." Caine snorted.

"I mean it."

"I don't care." Caine snarled. "We're enemies. I do not WANT to be your brother or your friend!"

"Well we don't choose family and I never said anything about friends." Sam grumbled but he was slowly losing his patients.

"Good. Because I don't need any friends." Caine snarled.

Sam stared at the back of Caine's head as the two marched down towards their home. Whenever Caine looked over his shoulder Sam watched the side of his face instead. He could see that he would probably have some kind of black eye or serious bruise on the side of his face. But at least it wasn't swelling at that very moment. He couldn't believe that Caine honestly did not want any friends. But then Caine was pretty weird before he went a little off his knockers. In the end Sam gave up and shook his head slowly while he walked.

"Better hurry up." Sam mumbled, walking faster so he was walking just behind Caine. "Mum can help with your face."

"Too bad she can't do much on yours." Caine smirked at his own joke.

"Ha ha." Sam said sarcastically.

Caine turned and walked down to the house front door. He tried to go in but it was locked and found himself stubbing his toe on the bottom of the door. Caine cursed quietly under his breath and took a frustrated step backwards so that Sam could use his key to unlock the door. He tried to stand calmly but his face showed his anger and he was tapping his foot angrily while grinding his teeth together.

"Having trouble?" Sam smiled. He knew he should keep up the role of 'bigger person' but it was hard with Caine around.

"Shut up and open the door." Caine snapped.

Sam smiled again, colder, and reached for his key in his pocket. He paused. Searching for a moment, Sam sheepishly pulled his hand out and gave a weak smile. This time his smile was one of embarrassment.

"Let me guess..." Caine sighed, "You don't have your key."

"... No." Sam confessed and began to loudly knock on the door. "Mum! You in! Mum!"

"Probably off stuffing her face or drinking her fill." Caine mumbled.

"Hey!" Sam snapped and shoved Caine unexpectedly.

"Don't shove me!" Caine snapped, shoving Sam back.

"Then don't talk about my mum like that!" Sam said, and shoved Caine again.

"I said do not shove me!" Caine shouted. He held his hands up and lifted Sam slightly off of the ground so that his feet barely touched the Earth bellow, pushing him back so he fell right down on top of a painfully prickly bush.

Sam swore loudly and sat up, pushing the branches out from where they were sticking into his back. He jumped up and landed on his feet, rubbing his hips were the sharper branches had scratched his skin through his top. It wasn't like he was bleeding or anything but it all had still been a rather painful sting. Then he turned his eyes on Caine.

"Stop using your power for every little fight!" Sam shouted.

"Then stop pissing me off!" Caine growled and raised his hands again.

Sam instantly raised his own hands in defence. "You do then I will. Do you really wanna lose those hands you love so much? You'd never be able to so much as lift a pen with your own real hands let alone your power."

Caine stared at him for a moment, considering challenging him, before lowering his hands. Gritting his teeth he crossed his arms over his chests again and sneered. "Fine."

"You know, Caine." Sam began and shook his head like a disappointed teacher. "Those teachers at the school are wrong. Especially when he hit you... But you could do with a lesson on not relying on your powers." Caine opened his mouth to scream at him but Sam cut him off. "No. I mean it. If you keep focussing on your powers then what will you do when they go?"

"What makes you think we will lose them?" Caine frowned.

"I don't know." Sam sighed. "But we could. Maybe you should just try and use them as less as possible. Especially while we're in an anti-freak town and school. It could help"

Caine glared at him. "Unlike you and your idiotic friends, I am not going to let some people push me around. I am proud of my powers. And that is that."

"I didn't say you shouldn't be proud-" Sam began.

"Stop acting like my parent." Caine said bluntly. "Now, what are we supposed to do? I am not sitting on my ass waiting for her to come back from whatever pig slops she's been."

"Maybe we could go... I dunno." Sam sighed and sat down on the stone steps his chin resting in his hands and elbows resting on top of his knees.

"I'm going to see Diana." Caine said turning and walking down the path.

"What? But isn't she in class?" Sam frowned and stood up quickly, meaning to follow him.

"She can ditch." Caine smirked.

Sam took a few steps to follow him and stalled again. Caine was getting further and further ahead of him. He waited a few more moments before he followed slowly.

He wanted to leave Caine, maybe let him have a moment alone with Diana. But the least he could do was make sure Caine got there safely.

**000**

Diana was more than thrilled to find Caine standing there when she looked up from her notebook than Sam thought she would be. She smiled and jumped up from the bench where she had been reading (leaving a disgusting looking lunch sitting alone beside of her). In her haste to jump up the lunch was knocked right off of the bench, spilling it on the floor as she wrapped her arms around of his neck.

They found themselves kissing and Sam quickly turned around, walking away. He had been worried when Caine had started to slow down. He thought he might be switching, but then he shook his head, snapped out of it and marched with more purpose than ever. Now it was time for him to leave the two alone. Diana could take care of Caine from here on.

When Diana pulled back from the kiss she beamed at Caine and hugged him closely before frowning slightly and cocking her head to the side.

"What happened to your face?" Diana asked, reaching up and touching the side of his face gently that was turning slowly pink with a touch of blue.

"Some idiotic teacher." Caine shrugged like it was no big deal. "I'll deal with him tomorrow."

"You be careful..." Diana said slowly. "Seriously. We're in the real world now. You can get hurt."

Caine gave her a look that quickly shut Diana up. They may be out of the FAYZ but Caine was still Caine...

Smirking slightly, Caine wrapped an arm around Diana's waist. He pulled her close and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. He knew that she was annoyed at him again for being who he generally was so he quickly planned to bring her back onto his side again. Truthfully, as much as she fought him, it wasn't that hard.

"Come on; let's go have some sort of fancy lunch, just the two of us." Caine said, nuzzling into her neck.

"Fancy lunch?" Diana frowned, looking Caine up and down for some sort of bag. "What lunch?"

"We'll make a lunch." Caine shrugged.

"How?" Diana demanded. "Are we going to the shops first?"

"No, now enough questions." Caine said smugly. "Just walk and follow."

Diana scowled slightly but nodded her head and followed him down away from the schools main building. She didn't care if she got into trouble. Diana had been skipping class to read anyway just after lunch so she would have been in trouble for skipping if she went with Caine or if she stayed. These days it seemed like Diana got into trouble constantly, no matter if she was good or bad they always found excuses to punish her.

It turned out that Caine really did know what he was doing. He led Diana down to the woods. The same woods that people had once played in, but then they had all avoided it when the FAYZ started and now had more people going into it once more but not many since they still had bad memories and nightmares from the dark. He found a nice cosy spot right beside of a small lake that had trees surrounding around of the area. It had fruits hanging from the trees and berries from the bushes. In the FAYZ these fruits would have either been deadly or just long gone, but now the kids could get real meat. Readily cooked meat with food already mixed together to make delicious meals and spices.

"Take a seat, my lady." Caine grinned.

Diana snorted but couldn't help a small smile. Caine was a jerk but he was also still very charming.

Diana settled herself down on one of the many logs that had long since fallen down slightly or somehow grown downwards with a sort of twist as if it was meant to grow like a bench. Caine began to move around and pick pieces of fruit from the bushes and trees before setting them down on the cool grass in front of Diana. He picked four of everything before he came and sat down beside of her, smiling slightly. It was one of those dopey school boy grins but it was the cute kind.

"This is our lunch?" Diana smirked, acting unimpressed.

"Yes, don't you want it?" Caine asked innocently, placing his hand over hers and entwining their fingers together.

"Maybe." Diana shrugged and reached down for one of the apples. Caine mimicked her movement and the two took a large bite each out of the food.

"This is nice." Diana admitted finally, she saw the sceptical look on Caine face and frowned slightly. "No. I mean it. Nothing fancy. No big restaurant with people falling to their knees in a effort to serve us. Just simple plain things are way nicer than anything else. I mean it." Diana leaned over and kissed Caine's cheek.

Caine rolled his eyes. "Girls!"

"Boys!" Diana responded instantly.

The two shared a grin. Like a normal couple going out on a date. Caine smiled coolly at her before leaning forward slowly. He made it very clear what he was going to do and Diana hesitated a moment. She wondered if she should give him what he wanted or if she should just play it cool. Turn him down like so many other times she had when he tried to put any kind of move on her. Or at least give him just a taste that made him want more before she pulled away. Then she thought...

The date was sweet. What he was doing was sweet. Maybe she should give him just a little reward. Making up her mind, Diana let herself lean towards of him and pursed her lips slightly. They had only just touched when someone shouted and Diana felt like she was being pelted with a million pieces of soggy paper.

It wasn't soggy paper. Instead it was large balloon filled with water. At least a dozen of them were thrown at the two of them in pure seconds. Three hit Diana straight on the side and she shrieked, climbing to her feet which turned out to be a bad idea because another hit her hard in the side and she was knocked right off of her feet again. Caine felt so many that he couldn't even count as one hit him hard in the face and water filled his mouth and nostrils, choking him and drenching his body completely.

Caine had no idea how long they went on but he was far too confused and found himself throwing the fruit in a dozen directions that proved to be all the wrong directions. Finally they stopped, giving Diana and Caine just enough time to get their breath back and climb to their feet when they heard them.

Yelling and whooping as they ran away. "DOWN WITH THE FREAKS! DOWN DOWN DOWN AND OUTTA OUR TOWN!"

They began to sing it until they were so far gone but one of the voices were louder than the rest and it did not take Caine very long to place a face and name to the voice. He grit his teeth, ignoring his dripping shirt, stood up and threw the branch they had just been sitting on until it was wrapped completely around of the tree it was growing out of.

"ZIL! ZIL YOU BASTARD!" Caine screamed.

"Caine..." Diana squeaked, squeezing the water from her hair and gasping. She was terrified. He was scaring her. And she discovered that only half of the balloons had water in, the rest had pigs blood. Suddenly she burst into tears. Humiliated. Frightened. Angry. Wishing she was normal. Wishing Caine was normal. Wishing everything was normal again.

"Zil! Zil and that bloody teacher! I'll get them both! I swear to God tomorrow I am going to get them both if it is the last thing I ever do ever!" Caine shouted. He coughed and gasped. Then, just like that, he switched.


	25. Chapter 25

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: Sorry! My laptop broke and luckily I got a new one for christmas! I wish I could update faster but I find it hard since I am doing so many stories at the same time. :( This story is close to ending though, maybe after Fear comes out I can do a possible sequel that focusses more on Caine's problem and Drake's craziness?_**

**_Mia:_**_ 1) I know they are my all time fav as well :D 2) Well he is a scary guy... 3) Don't worry, Zil will get a nasty surprise soon *evil laughter* and finally... Sorry I took so long! I have four different stories on the go at the moment as well as Christmas coming and going and so much Homework for college! I will try to keep updating though!  
><strong>Arrowkid21: <strong>I know but apparently pigs blood is the thing most people use when they are tormenting people. Most commonly used to humiliate someone they pretend to vote for for Prom Queen or when they're standing in front of a load of people or whatever.  
><strong>Alyssa: <strong>Glad you like it so much! Thank you! _

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty Five<span>

Diana had personally taken Caine back home after she had pushed aside her tears and fear in the middle of the field. He was much calmer when he was switched, even if he was also a lot more frightened and whimpery at least he didn't scream throwng things around. It made it easier to be around of him but she still didn't like this Caine. She liked the old Caine, no matter how much of a brute. She had helped support him for the whole ride and ignored all the strange looks she got of people that either hated him or were wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Then again there was the prank Zil had pulled on the two.

"We must look a right pair..." Diana mumbled. Mostly to herself because there was no way that Caine was listening to her.

And they did. Both of them were drenched through to the skin with a small amount of pigs blood staining their clothes. A few people were not looking closely enough to care but those that did looked terrifed, glanced at Caine, and ran away. Diana glared after them and shouted that it was pigs blood or that they should just ask Zil what happened and he'd have a right laugh with them about it but most of them either didn't hear her or they didn't care either way.

The worst part was when they got back to The Temple house hold. Sam was outside, talking with Astrid. They were holdings hands, sitting close together on the steps that led up to the door and smiling like they had been on a date very similar to the one Diana and Caine had been on before they were attacked. When Sam looked up he froze and Astrid's gaze quickly followed his to feeze at the same time.

"What the hell?" Sam shouted, jumping up and dropping Astrid's hand.

"Ask Zil!" Diana shrieked angrily.

"He did this?" Astrid gasped, walking over to them.

"Oh noooo, I just decided to tell you to ask Zil how Caine and I decided to run into a pool of pigs and slaughter them messily with our hands!" Diana snapped, tears filling her eyes again. She was so angry at Astrid the Stupid Genius for being so stupid! She angry at Sam for not being there for his brother! She was scared of Caine for getting so angry and she was so scared of Zil for what might happen to him and what would then happen to Caine in retaliation to that from the rest of the town that already hated him!

Astrid frowned slightly at Diana. Clearly she did not appreciate the sarcasm. Instead the two shared a very cold look before Caine whimpred and their eyes found him instead.

"Are you okay, Caine?" Sam asked in a whisper.

"I'm wet." Caine mumbled in a child like voice, staring down at his arm with wide eyes of how damp he was.

"I know, come inside and we'll get you dry." Sam said as calmly as he could but his voice was shaking and his hands were just as steady.

Caine nodded slowly and let Sam drag him along by the arm towards of the house. Diana watched them go and waited to see if she should go with or head back to her own home and change out of her own dripping clothes. Astrid ended up answering that question for her.

"Come on, Diana. We'll get you cleared up too." Astrid said kindly, nodding for her to go ahead of her.

"Thanks." Diana smiled and for once she honestly meant it.

The four went inside where Connie was having a nap in her room alone. Sam took them both to the kitchen where he began to fill a bucket with warm water in silence. He grabbed a pair of warm small cloths from the side that they used to wash the dishes with and dropped them into the bucket of water to soak for a minute before turning to Astrid.

"Can you go upstairs and get some clothes for Caine? And maybe one of my mums old dresses for Diana? They could both do with changing out of these." Sam asked.

"Sure." Astrid nodded, turned around and disapeared to his bedroom.

Diana immediately began to clean her face and hair first by herself with the cloth to get rid of some of the sticky blood that was clinging onto her. She did this slowly and carefully, staring at herself in the dark glass of the microwave as she did while Sam gently help Caine rinse himself down. They washed most of the pigs blood off which wasn't that hard because it was all rather watery anyway but they scrubbed a bit more to get the sticky feeling off of them and making them feel less disgusting.

"Here." Astrid said, gasping as she jumped back into the room and revealing a small pile of clothes hanging over her arm.

"I'll change in your main room." Diana stated, snatching the yellow summer dress from Astrid and disapearing from the room. She walked with her head held high in a very Diana-way.

Astrid lay Caine's clothes down on the kitchen counter beside of the seat and over the bucket of water before she turned around and quickly followed her. It would give the boys time to change.

Sam felt awkward seeing Caine naked so he left his boxers on, especially since they were not even that damp to begin with. He helped peel off the rest of his clothes. Caine was no help and seemed to fight Sam every step of the way. He struggled to remain in a tight ball hiding from the world, even after he got the soaking clothes off. Then he used the clothe to clean up the rest of his body. Another thing that felt weird. Normally Caine would do it himself or if he was switched then they just left him until he snapped back, otherwise Connie would do it. Touching Caine and seeing Caine like this was just awkward for Sam.

When Caine was dressed in his new clothes, a pair of jeans and a warm wool jumper with a pair of thick socks and a jacket to keep him warm. When he was done he called to Diana and Astrid back. They didn't take very long before they were stepping back into the room ready as ever.

Diana could have looked better. The outfit was clearly the wrong size and shape for her and looked so odd on her frame but it was not that bad (a long light pink top of his mothers that looked like it was a dress on her that reached down to her knees and a pair of shot sleeves that reached down to her elbows). Her hair was a whole other matter completely. Half of it was frizzy from drying off with pigs blood and the rest was lank and dripping with water and stiff sticky pigs blood that she had not managed to wash out completely. Still she somehow managed to look reasonably pretty as she wiped the rest of the sticky blood from her cheeks and from under her nails.

Astrid seemed to notice this and stared at Diana with a hint of jealousy in her eyes. But then she shook it off and smiled at Sam and Caine.

"So why don't you tell me exactly what happened..." Sam said as he tried to get the worst of it out of Caine's thick brown hair. It needed a cut but Caine didn't trust Connie near his head and when he was switched it was dangerous to put anything sharp near his head.

Diana sighed and pulled herself up on the counter as she tried to pick at her perfect nails clean. She brushed some of her hair from her face and looked at Sam before rolling her eyes slightly like she got that question all the time... Which she probably did when Sam thought about it. They all pretty much got asked if they could tell someone exactly what happened before, before, during and after the FAYZ.

"Caine and I were having a very romatic moment. It was perfect." She paused and smiled like she was showing off to the two of them. "Probably better than you and Astrid could pull of actually. But then Zil and his stupid friends showed up and threw stuff at us. There had to be a dozen of them to throw so many at a time. Next thing I know they're chanting some weird rhyme and running off like scared babies. Caine recognised Zil's voice and went crazy. Starting screaming how he was going to get Zil and the teacher as soon as he snapped back to himself. Quite freaky if you ask me. Then I dragged his sorry state back here for you to clean up."

"Great. Just what we needed to deal with..." Sam grumbled under his breath.

"What are we supposed to do?" Astrid mumbled. "Caine will get in so much trouble if he goes for either of them..."

"No duh!" Diana snapped rolling her eyes again.

"Are you going to be helpful at all?" Astrid asked. "Because right now you are beyond useless."

Diana and Astrid scowled at one another as Sam sighed and shook his head. What a time for the two to start arguing now.

"Girls? Another time? We don't have long to come up with an idea before Caine snaps back and goes on a crazy rampage!" Sam groaned.

Both girls fell silent and stared at Sam with a half guilty, half emabarrassed expression on their faces. Astrid was the first to notice and visibly tensed.

Caine blinked and frowned at him, slightly annoyed. "I am not crazy, Sam."

"Oh... Hi." Sam grinned weakly, blushing slightly and looking very uncomfortable now.

"I am not crazy and I am not going on a rampage." Caine said, pushing passed him to the door. "That implies that I do not have a plan."

Sam could almost hear the smirk placed carefully on his lips. He felt a tight anger fill his chest. He wanted to shout or at least demand that Caine listen to him. But instead he waited too long to speak and Caine turned, disapearing towards of his room and slamming the door behind of him. Sam took in a deep breath and shook his head angrily, before he turned to caught gazes with the girls. Both of which has an expression on their faces like a group of students trying not to laugh at the monkey boy of the class while he was taken from the classroom.

"Don't say a word." Sam grumbled.

"We're not." Diana smirked. "We're just standing here, smiling away."

"Why don't you just go and make yourself useful by talking to Caine." Sam snapped. He really hated Diana's smirk. And he was starting to agree with Astrid about Diana being pretty more or less useless.

Diana's smile dropped. She stared at Sam with cold, almost dead, eyes. He stared right back at them. In the end Astrid grew bored and pushed Diana in the direction towards of the door, breaking their staring contest. After a moment of resistance, Diana then turned and made her way after Caine. Sam watched her the whole way she went and only looked away when he could not see her anymore.

"I should be jealous that you're watching other women so closely." Astrid noted lazily.

"What?" Sam blinked.

"Is there something wrong?" Astrid asked, frowning slightly at him. "You're worrying me, Sam."

"I just am curious about her. I never know where Diana stands with us." Sam explained.

"Me either." Astrid sighed. "Let's just assume she's on whatever side Caine is on and Caine is on no ones side but his own so it is up to us to keep everyone else that goes near him, safe."

"What about keeping Caine safe?" Sam noted.

"I would like to." Astrid shrugged. "But... We cannot really keep Caine safe if he doesn't want to be safe. He needs to work too."

"I know but... It's Caine." Sam shrugged like that answer was enough for all.

"Sorry, Sam. But you can't save everyone. Especially those that do not want to be saved." Astrid shrugged.

Before he could reply, she walked over and kissed him sweetly on the corner of his mouth, shutting any words that had begun to build in the back of his throat. He watched as she gave another, almost sad, smile before turning and marching from the kitchen. Sam listened and heard the door slam behind of her.

"Girls..." Sam sighed. They were all so confusing to him.

That day as Connie made dinner for them all she made an extra plate for Diana who was staying longer than Sam thought she would. Connie could only be as happy to do so in hopes that maybe she being here would soften Caine up. Like that would ever happen!

Caine seemed more cheerful to have Diana around in the end, and although he ignored everyone else as they ate, he still made some kind of conversation. It was funny watching him smile so much while actually in Connie's presence. Sam found himself watching Caine more closely than he did any other night. They needed to find some sort of way to keep Caine from doing something incredably stupid and getting someone as well as himself killed.

But what sort of thing were they supposed to say or do? Caine was going to do whatever he wanted whether they told him to do so or not.

Sam stared at Caine for most of the meal and watched him and Diana disapear when they were done. He stalled for a moment and then offered to help Connie with the cleaning just like it was any other day. Silently Sam swore he would keep Caine safe from himself as well as from Nerezza who he was still pretty sure trying to do something awful to his brother.

**000**

Nerezza smirked to herself and stepped up to Astrid's home. It was almost pitch black outside and there was not a star in the sky as all of them were hidden behind of thick grey clouds threatening to rain down on the people bellow. Astrid's home was rather big actually. They had to move because Drake burned it down but they had chosen a nice house that seemed almost as large as any other house on the street and was as posh as her old house with just as many rooms to show off just how much money everyone in the family had to waste while other children still starved or struggled with single parents.

The house was a pretty white colour and Astrid was up in her bedroom reading one of the man thick complicated books she owned. Her own bedroom was painted white and her flooring had light pink carpet with blue ceiling and a set of cherry sheets on snow white blankets with matching pillows. She had brought a whole new set of books to go on her large double set book case beside of her matching chest of draws and walk in cupboard. Everything about her room screamed posh snot that got basically whatever she wanted. It made Nerezza sick to think of how everyone still seemed to look up to her.

Astrid's parents were eating in the kitchen, small snacks with cups of coffees and teas sitting beside of them at the table as they discussed normal things. Despite many of the claims the parents had been able to get away with pretending like everything was normal. There was no proof that their youngest child could or would have done anything that everyone was sure he did. He was just a baby and even the scientist and freak hating parents found it hard to believe that Pete was as powerful as they said. And while yes their daughter had done a lot in the FAYZ there was no power she had which just made her a sort of hero but not one big enough to be loved by mutants or loved by normals. They were one of the few that could play pretend without any worries and get away with it.

And of course Little Pete would be up in his room sleeping away. His room would no doubt be smaller than Astrid's but it would still be as lovely with blue and green walls and ceiling with a puzzle baby carpet spread out along the floor and its own set of chests and draws for his little baby clothes to rest. He would have a toy box for his toys and a seperate box for his learning equipment and then his bed where he would be sleeping under soft Tomas The Tank Engine blankets and matching quit and pillows. And that was who she was after, after all. Little Pete was Nerezza's only care.

She would have probably waited longer and messed with the Temple family a bit more. Given Caine more nightmares so that Sam really was too busy to stop her but time was running out and she needed this done and dusted soon. Drake and Raven were out and ready for her. Time for Nerezza to do her side of the plan. If anything she had the easy part.

Nerezza shut her eyes, when she opened them she was in Pete's room. Pete was lying in his bed and he seemed to be fast asleep, also dead from the world. He was cute curled up like that but Nerezza remembered just who he was. A very powerful young boy. He was so powerful that even with him sleeping, Nerezza was nervous to be approaching to boy before picking him up and turning around, making her way towards of the window.

And then, just as she had appeared in the room. She disapeared again. With Pete.

**000**

"SAM!" Astrid shrieked.

"Astrid?" Sam moaned, sitting up in his bed. He had hardly any sleep that night. Most of his time had been spent dealing with Caine who was having worse nightmares and seemed to be switching even more than normal. He was such a fuss and had actually thrown both Sam and Connie across the room at one stage forcing Connie to go down to the hospital to see to an almost broken arm.

"What the hell does your girlfriend want?" Caine moaned, not raising his face from his pillow. He had it easier and was in fact a sleep most of the time, but that didn't mean he liked being woken up by a screaming girlfriend of his brothers.

"How am I supposed to know?" Sam growled as he stumbled out of his bed and fell down face first onto the floor before he managed to pick himself up again.

"SAM!" Astrid shouted again when Sam stuck his head through the window.

"Astrid? What are you doing here so early?" Sam moaned, rubbing his eyes.

"It's Petey!" Astrid sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks. "He's gone! He's just disapeared! We can't find him anywhere! You have to help me find him!"

"What?" Sam frowned, not completely understanding what she was saying this early in the morning.

"He's just gone! Disapeared! No one has seen him!" Astrid sobbed. "But a man said he said a girl our age carrying a baby, she had black hair and green eyes!"

Sam's face went blank. "Nerezza."


	26. Chapter 26

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: _**

**_Arrowkid21: _**_I think I'm free from writers block, but then I am ending it soon so...  
><strong>mooray:<strong> Hey, sorry, it gets more serious now. But I might be doing another story that focusses more on their lives only._

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty Six<span>

"Nerezza," Sam growled, pacing back and forth in front of the dinner table as Connie comforted Astrid and gave her a drink. "What is she doing with Pete? I thought she wanted to mess with Caine."

"Why me?" Caine snorted, he came into the room and was leaning against the door frame watching them all.

"It's a long story." Sam gabbled, forgetting Caine was there.

"Who is this Nerezza chick anyway?" Caine demanded.

"No one!" Sam and Astrid said instantly.

Caine rose an eyebrow to show that he did not believe a word from any of them. Who could blame him? With all the stress they were acting more than guilty. Astrid was still crying as Connie rubbed her back and explained her parents were out looking for him and ignored her when she tried to tell them what she thought happened. They couldn't believe it. They wouldn't.

"Caine, no offence, but you don't care about Pete. And if you switch you won't be much use anyway. So why don't you go back to bed." Sam suggested with a sickly smile.

"Sounds like a good idea. You can have today off of school." Connie suggested with her own smile.

"Hmmm, since you all _want _me to," Caine began with a smirk. "I think I'll stay and help. Become a nicer person and help out." What he was saying was nice enough but the sneer on his face showed what he was really thinking.

"Caine..." Connie began.

"Don't think I'll listen to you." Caine snorted. "I don't give a toss what you think."

"Caine!" Sam snapped.

"Sam!" Caine snapped, imitating him.

"Just go to your room already." Sam hissed angrily.

"Yes mum, sorry mum, forgive me mum, love you mum." Caine sneered.

"Enough, we need to call the police." Connie said, she rubbed Astrid's back. "They'll find Pete and arrest whoever did this."

"Mum, the police can't and won't help us here." Sam stressed. "They don't care about mutants and they definitely wouldn't care if Astrid or you called them because you're asosiated with Caine and me. The police will be useless, we need to find him on our own and take Nerezza down while we're at it before she does anything else to Caine or Petey."

"Sam, Nerezza is just a confused little girl." Connie said, frowning slightly.

"She's not a girl! She's the darkness! Why won't you listen to me!" Sam shouted, loosing his temper.

"Sam..." Connie began.

"He's not wrong." Astrid mumbled. "I still don't know if she is human or not but she has to be at least controlled by the darkness. Why else would she take Pete? And how else would she get to him?"

"No, enough. She is just a little girl. The best way to deal with her is to call her mother and the police." Connie said strictly.

Sam scowled and looked directly at Astrid. She kept her eyes down, tears building up again just when they had finally stopped. He tensed and stared at her while he said, "Astrid. I'll find Pete and bring him back safe, I promise you that." Then he turned and walked towards of the door, not looking at Caine or Connie or even Astrid while he walked.

"Sam!" Connie shouted after him.

Sam ignored her and slammed the door behind of him. He vaguely heard Caine laughing but he ignored him. Right now Sam had to get Little Pete and finish Nerezza off once and for all so she could not hurt anyone else or cause him any more grief just ehn he though th he had escape it all.

**000**

Nerezza knew Sam would be coming. She wished he was more worried about Caine but sometimes you can't help how things work out. But that was why she sent Drake to see to Caine and Raven to deal with Astrid. Once he heard they were in danger he would rush back to save one of them, if not try to be a desperate hero and save both like the idiot he was.

Snickering, Nerezza turned and went back into the cave. It was dark. Just the way she liked it. Pete was lying deep in the cave, still asleep. It would have been cute for anyone but Nerezza. She didn't care for cute little babies sleeping soundly. She didn't care for cute very much. Or at all for that matter. Cute did nothing for her and if anything it actually made her sick whenever she saw it.

She sat down and shut her eyes. The sooner it was night the sooner she would have her strength back and the sooner she could get it over and done with. Even though Nerezza was pretty sure that Sam would be busy she still did not want to risk it since he had been quite a annoyance to her from the beginning. He had constantly interferred with her plans. From the very beginning he stuck his stupid glowing hands into her business. Now it was her time to win and she might even try to adjust things if she could to work in her favour.

Nerezza was very tired after all. She had used up a lot of power putting Pete to sleep as well as making sure he has the right dreams and controlling his dreams in the best way she could. She had him dreaming about the day when he first created the FAYZ. Of course Nerezza would have to help him along but with the two of them working together they could probably do anything. The only problem was that they were on oposite sides and hated each other so one wasnt about to help the other.

Now to start up the dream as real as she could possible get it. She couldn't just have it happen or Pete wouldn't believe it. Nerezza had to have him think it was real by starting from the beginning of the day and going all the way down to the end. And at the right time Nerezza would have to work with him to get it really going. It was complicated for her to explain but she was sure that with Pete she could remake the FAYZ. Only maybe give her a bigger advantage this time.

The thought made a smirk spread across of her lips. This would be wonderful.

**000**

Caine had found Sam relatively quickly by following Astrid. The three then spent the next ten minutes storming down the street while Astrid called after Sam and Caine mocked both of them.

"Sam! Please! Wait!" Astrid called.

"No! Don't you want to find Pete?" Sam demanded, glancing over his shoulder.

"Of course I do! But I don't want you to get yourself killed doing it! We need some sort of a plan and more people and help and-" Astrid began before Caine interupted her.

"And a louder girlfriend because I just don't think Astrid is doing it for you Sammy," Caine sneered.

"SHUT UP!" Astrid shrieked, glaring at Caine angrily.

Caine just smirked and rose an eyebrow at her. The two had come to a stop and now faced one another, Astrid shaking while Caine seemed calmer than ever. Then Astrid remembered Sam, and she spun around and ran to catch up with him, grabbing his arm in an attempt to slow him down long enough for her to talk to him. Caine calmly walked along after them, a smile perminently plastered on his lips. He was having fun watching those two struggle so much.

"Sam! Please! Just wait for me and think! You're mother is freaking out! She's calling Nerezza's mum and-"

"Nerezza doesn't have a mum! For God's sake get it through your head!" Sam snapped.

Astrid winced like he had hit her. Sam felt a pang of guilt for a moment then and regretted shouting at her but he was pretty sick of her not listening to him.

"Whether she has a mother or not, we can't go running like crazy when we don't even have the slightest idea where she is..." Astrid said as calmly as she could.

Sam finally came to a stop, admiting defeat finally. But then just as Caine caught up with the two of them he lifted his head sharply and squinted off into the distance in front of him. He was looking to a certain spot. He couldn't actually see it but he knew it was there, he knew it was somewhere in that direction and it didn't take his companions long before they realized what he was staring at as well. They could at least notice the general area in which they would be hiding away.

"You have to be kidding me," Astrid said instantly. "What on Earth makes you think they went somewhere so obvious as up there?"

"Because it is obvious." Sam said, "Anyway, we just need somewhere to start and that is the perfect place. You are either with me or against me," he paused, "But either way. I want you to go home, Caine."

"Yeah right," Caine sneered. "Like I'd miss any of this! You want me gone, then you're just gonna have to make me."

"Caine. I mean it!" Sam snapped, "Go home!"

"And I mean it when I tell you to make me," Caine shrugged.

"Okay..." Sam paused, "Go and find Diana."

"Why?" Caine snorted.

"Because for all we know Nerezza could be going for than just Pete. How do you know she didn't send Drake to Diana to keep us busy? Go and protect her if you care about her at all!" Sam snapped.

No one moved but it was clear that what he had said hit Caine. He Tensed and cleanched his jaw.

"Do you want to risk Diana with Drake?" Sam said.

Sam won. Caine angry knocked Sam to the floor with a wave of his hand before he turned and stormed off. Sam picked himself up off the floor, brushing himself down just as Caine disapeared behind a building. He silently prayed to anyone that might be watching them that Caine make it to Diana's without switching! Especially if Drake was going to show up at any moment and fight him.

"I'm coming." Astrid said before Sam could even try and send her away.

"... Fine," they didn't have any more time to argue. "Just stay behind me."

"Fine," Astrid said angrily.

**000**

He had been thinking so much that he got there almost in minutes. Caine caught Diana in her bedroom, she was just about to shut the curtains. He lifted a hand and the window unlocked itself and drifted open, catching her attention almost instantly. She blinked and pushed the curtains back, sticking her head out and staring down at Caine in shock like she couldn't believe he was here. Then she grinned down at him and made a sign with her hand for him to wait there for her. Before she could turn however, she felt Caine's pull and raised an eyebrow up at her. She gently squeezed herself nervously out of the window and let Caine pick her up and lower her down. She had to tighten her fist around her night gown to keep it from blowing in the wind and revealing her think pink underwear to Caine.

"I could have snuck out," Diana said as he settled her down onto the ground.

"That was more fun," Caine said and winked.

"Why are you here, Caine?" Diana asked, rolling her eyes playfully and crossing her arms over her chest to hide the fact that she was starting to get cold in the windy air.

"It's a rather long story," Caine said, holding out his hand. "Let's take a walk."

Diana hesitated a moment before she smiled at him and took his hand. A night with Caine would be so much better than staying in Coates any longer. Especially since she had forgotten how bitchy the other girls were when she didn't have Caine by her side, frightening everyone else and defending her from snotty teachers. Diana missed the old days so much.

Caine took Diana along the road, heading in the opposite direction of Perdido Beach. They didn't want to be near anyone but each other. It was corny but sometimes life was a bit corny. Diana preferred it when Caine was corny because it meant he was being sweet and kind and not angry and controlling like he normally was. They walked for quite a bit before coming to a stop and Caine lay down on the grass.

"... You brought me all the way out here to... To what? Lie there?" Diana demanded.

"Relax. I just want to wait here while we talk. Got some stuff to say." Caine explained.

Diana hesitated but took a seat down beside of him. She listened as Caine told her that Pete was missing. He told him about what Sam thought of Nerezza and then paused, waiting for her opinion.

"I think Sam's right. Everyone is always doubting him and he always turns out to be right." Diana shrugged.

Caine scowled. That was true but he didn't like to admit it! So instead he stayed quiet.

"So why are you here instead of with Sam?" Diana frowned.

Caine opened his mouth to answer when something appeared in front of his eyes, falling down and catching him clearly across of his lips. He roared in pain and shot up just in time for the thing to appear again, catching his forehead and knocking him back down onto the ground once more. Diana had let out a shriek in surprise and jumped back, quickly. The thing, a red whip hand, got Caine at least another five times in the face, cutting him and tearing his skin. Caine shouted each time and his hands threw up to defend himself but they just got slapped as well and whoever it was hitting him (no real guess as to who it was) was standing a good distance away so he couldn't find them properly with his power.

"DRAKE!" Diana shrieked.

Drake laughed. He was smart. He knew just what to do. Keep hitting Caine to keep him from getting a good aim, if he could then he'd catch him hard on the eyes and blind him completely. Drake hit him twice more in the face, aiming for his eyes before returning to his arms to keep him from lifting them up and throwing things at random. He glanced over at Diana and grinned. She didn't know what to do. She wanted to help but she clearly couldn't do it with Drake swinging as wild as he was.

"Hey, Diana. Oh don't worry, once I'm done here..." Drake grunted, swinging faster and sharper. "I'll make time for you."

He turned attention on Caine again. The boy was bloody. Badly. His face was dripping and he kept shouting, struggling to get onto his feet but every time he rolled over or sat up, Drake flipped him and slammed back down on the ground. It was hard to see his face now. But Drake could just about make his mouth opened and his eyes shut tightly to avoid the one thing that Drake was aiming for.

Drake had been so focussed on Caine he didn't notice Diana running at him. Her arms wrapped around of his neck and her whole body was thrown against his, knocking him off of his feet and onto the ground. Drake shouted and turned, trying to knock her off but her nails were already clawing down his face and her knee went dangerous close to his groin. His whip came up and caught the back of her neck but not as hard as he would have liked, she winced but otherwise did not react and continued slapping at his face, screaming.

And then Diana was up in the air. She was flying but gently and when she was settled down it was very carefully so she would not be hurt. Drake frowned for a moment, confused. Then, just as the moment he realized what was happening, it was too late. An invisible fist caught him in the side of the head and sent him spinning on the spot right into a nearby tree, the exact tree he had been hiding behind to avoid Caine or Diana seeing him before he could get close enough to attack. The force had to at least break one or two of his poor ribs.

Drake was pulled away from the tree, lifted in the air and thrown into it again. Drake's side was killing him, he'd probably broken at least half of his ribs, and his nose was bleeding heavily.

Caine was standing just a few feet behind of him, hands raised, teeth showing, growling like an honest to God wild animal. He lifted Drake in the air and slammed him against the tree, he then lifted Drake's own whip and wrapped it around Drake's throat, pinning him against the tree and adding so much pressure that it actually stopped the air from getting into his lungs properly.

"That was the biggest mistake you'll ever make, Drake." Caine snarled, spitting blood on the ground.

Drake squinted at him. The cuts were there but they weren't deep. He'd gone for more cuts rather than painful cuts and so most of them had already stopped bleeding. This was not good. He needed to think fast to get out of this alive.

"Wait," Drake gasped. "Caine, wait!"

Caine wasn't listening. He still had Drake pinned so it was hard to breath and he was glancing around for something to crush him properly with. Diana was standing close, glaring and Drake and for once waiting for Caine to delivery the final blow.

"Nerezza! FAYZ!" Drake cried out desperately. "She-She's starting the FAYZ up again! She's doing it right now!"

It was enough. Both Caine and Diana paused and shared a look. Caine loosened some of the strength on Drake but not enough to set him free or release his whip arm so it could do more damage.

"What did you just say?" Diana frowned.

"You heard me! And I ain't telling you no more unless you put me down!" Drake demanded.

"We don't really need that much more information." Diana smirked.

"You need to know where it's happening!" Drake shouted desperately.

"No. Sam's already guessed." Caine growled, turning and spitting more blood out of his mouth. "You're basically useless now, Drake."

"No!" Drake shouted, fighting against Caine's force but it was impossible. He was dead.

Just as Caine tightened the hold on him again the both froze. Caine's head began to bob like a sort of bird and Diana's lips were failing opened as she reached up and felt her throat, too shocked even for fear.

Drake blinked then grinned. He turned his head just as he saw Raven backing up with both her hands held out. It was stupid. She was trying to get out of range of Caine but still be able to work her own magic. She wouldn't be able to do that. Not at her level. But it would be enough to take Caine's attention off of Drake. In fact he could already feel the pressure slipping away as Caine turned his eyes on something much more irritating.

Then Drake was on his feet again. He rose his whip and brought it down as hard as he could on the middle of Caine's skull.


	27. Chapter 27

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: GOT AND READ FEAR! (no spoilers but OMFG! I NEED LIGHT NOW!)._**

_**Mooray:** Sorry for ending it but I have so many chapters:L And I'm running out of ideas:L  
><strong>The First Gatekeeper: <strong>Glad you are enjoying it so much! :D  
><strong>Vanessa:<strong> Glad you are enjoying it so much! :D  
><strong>Arrowkid21:<strong> LOL! Yeah I know, but I had to resist.  
><strong>Ares assassin: <strong>lol, thank you so much!  
><strong>JuiceypeachesYUM:<strong> Here it is!  
><strong>Thabile Mofokeng: <strong>Now you can find out! :D_

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Twenty Seven<span>

Caine was too focussed on Raven to realize what Drake had been doing. But Diana wasn't. She had learned very early on to never take her eyes off of Drake.

Before the whip could make contact with his head she snatched a branch from the ground and threw it in the way of his snake arm. The branch didn't stop him but the snap was loud enough to bring Caine back and he spun, holding his hands out either side, pointing at both Drake and Raven. Drake was thrown and pinned back against of the tree. While Raven was dragged towards of Caine, shrieked and still trying to focus her hands. He threw her as hard as she could when she was close enough. He threw her over their heads and into Drake with a loud crash, causing her power to release the two of them.

"Bitch, you'll pay for that," Caine gasped. Diana was coughing on her hands and knees. Never before had she loved the taste of air so much.

Drake was pinned against the wall and Raven thrown down at his feet not too far away. Drake struggled and somehow managed to get loose in Caine's grip. Caine turned his attention away from Drake and scowled down at Raven. She was the one who had nearly choked him. But then Drake had also done some serious damage. He paused and thought about this for just a little second. Raven turned, pulling out a lighter and throwing it at his feet as fast as she could.

The flames shot up, much larger than they should have been, and nearly burnt Caine's face. He jumped back just a few seconds before his eyebrows fell off. Diana blinked and took her own step back, she didn't remember Raven being this strong, or nearly this strong, when she had first read her. Raven must have grown stronger. She must have grown stronger in a very short amount of time!

"Watch out, Caine!" Diana began but he couldn't hear her.

Raven was moving at him with both of her hands extended now. The area around Caine's head seemed to be different but Diana had no idea how or why. As far as she knew Raven's power had only ever been to control oxygen, which was how she suffocated people and caused flames to grow either out of control and completely putting them out. This was something new, something much different. Did she lie to Caine and Diana? Or just grow more powerful over time?

Caine winced like he was in pain. He looked around and squinted as a huge cough began to build up in his throat. Something was wrong. Something was seriously wrong.

Raven looked around and cursed. Drake had fled. He had left her! Abandoned her! But who cares? Raven could handle this herself. And when she was finished with Caine, throw in Diana too since she was such an annoying bitch, she would go after Drake and finish him too. Raven would kill them all. Even that cow Nerezza. All the girls that got involved with Caine or Drake seemed to be bitches and Raven would wipe them all out. She would be the strongest person in the world. Raven would be the strongest person full stop. No one would stand in her way. No one!

And then Diana was in front of her. Diana snatched Raven's wrist and twisted them with strength neither of them knew she had. Raven shrieked in fury and tried to pull free but Diana just tightened her grip. The two girls struggled against one another for a moment. Diana pinning Raven's arms down but while she did that she couldn't do anything else. Raven tried head butting her but she wasnt as strong as she thought and it hurt her more than it hurt Diana.

The two struggled for a moment, Raven used everything she had. She kicked Diana, she head butted, she tackled, she poisoned the air she breathed, she took away the oxygen, if she had her lighter she would have tried to burn Diana's hands off of her. Raven did all of this but Diana was not going down without a fight and even when she was being suffocated and poisoned she refused to let go of the other girls hand.

Diana was shaking, she was scared but luckily Raven was so furious she wasn't keeping any of her powers going long enough to seriously hurt Diana. If she maybe held the suffocation for just a minute, then Diana would be dead before she hit the floor. Instead she changed tactics swiftly. Diana managed to read her power, she was a three but by the looks she was growing. If Diana did not stop her soon, and she grew even more powerful, then-

She never finished her thought. Caine appeared behind of Raven. Diana let her grip on Raven's arm loosen for a moment and she started to regain control but not for long before Caine grabbed her head and twisted it sharply. In a matter of seconds, the girl who could have been one of the most powerful people in the world, was dead.

"Good riddance!" Diana snarled, throwing her onto the ground at their feet.

"Where's Drake?" Caine demanded, his head spinning back and forth in search of the whip armed boy.

"He ran off," Diana snarled. "Coward."

"We'll find him. But first we're going for a walk," Caine growled.

"What?" Diana frowned.

"If Sam thinks I'm sitting on my ass while he does the hero thing he's done a hundred times his powers gone to his head!"

**000**

Meanwhile Sam and Astrid had found the cave. It wasn't that hard to find but the walk was long and it left both of them tired. Even so Sam pushed ahead and refused to let up. He had to find Pete and stop Nerezza once and for all.

"What now?" Astrid whispered.

"We go in," Sam shrugged.

Astrid hesitated. But then shook her mind of worries and followed him. She was still worried, but she couldn't let the worries make her back out now. Not if Sam was going in and definitely not if Little Pete was inside too. She couldn't be too scared to help friends and family all her life. So she stepped inside the cave, following closely behind of Sam and trying to hide her nerves at the same time.

"Wait!" Astrid suddenly hissed. Sam looked back in surprise and watched her. Astrid looked around for a moment before she ducked down to the side and picked up a large, slightly filthy, branch that had snapped off from a tree. The end of it was broken with spikes and it felt heavy in her hands but that was good. When she turned back to Sam she smiled, her blonde hair blowing in the wind making him think of her like some sort of beautiful warrior. "Ready."

Sam gave her a small smile, enjoying the moment for just a second. Then he let his face grow hard. He couldn't be distracted right now. Not now at least. Not while there was so many more pressing matters at hand. Maybe after...

Stepping inside he felt chills the minute they were covered by the shades. It was hard to see and they stumbled slightly as they walked. They kept close to one another. So close that their arms repeatedly brushed up against one another and cause them to jump every so often. No matter how many times it happened they couldn't relax.

"I think we're almost there," whispered Sam, nodding at a flicker of light ahead.

Astrid swallowed, suddenly feeling sick to her stomach. The tension was making her want to just run down screaming for Pete's name. But she held herself stiff and walked slowly.

Someone sighed from up ahead. Nerezza stepped into view, hands on her hips, shaking her head sadly at the two of them like a disappointed teacher. "Why is it, when you send people out to do a job, they always seem to fail you, even though you're not even asking that much of them?" she asked. She shook her head again, her black hair waving like smoke around her shoulders. "Whatever. I'll just get rid of you myself. You were too much of a pain before. I don't want you in the new world."

"Where's my brother?" Astrid demanded.

"He's helping me with a project. Don't worry, after this he'll be going to a better place." Nerezza sneered and turned her eyes to Sam. They seemed to be glowing in the dark. "You know you can't win. Now if you turn around, and walk away, I'll make sure nothing happens to Caine, who could be dying at this very moment at the hands of whip hand."

"Caine can handle himself." Sam said, but his stomach tensed. Caine _could _handle himself, just as long as he didn't switch out.

"Last chance. Turn around." Nerezza snarled.

"Never." Astrid growled.

"Fine."

Astrid wasn't sure what exactly had happened. One minute she was glaring at Nerezza, the next she was lying on her back, staring at the ceiling with blood on the side of her head and all over her right palm. She blinked to clear her vision and rolled her head to the side. At first nothing made sense, but then she saw Sam climbing to his feet and shaking like the ground beneath his feet was moving. In front of him, Nerezza was moving forward with a nasty smile playing on her lips.

Forcing herself back onto her feet, Astrid ran at Nerezza. She didn't even reach her before Nerezza stepped back and grabbed her arm, swinging her around using her as a bat to knock Sam onto the ground with her lying on top of him.

Nerezza began to let out a laugh like a witch or demon. She stepped forward, her eyes were shinning and she seemed almost wild. "Did you really think this would go in your favour? I mean, really?"

"You are seriously a crap hero, Sammy."

Sam gasped and looked up, Diana and Caine standing there, watching the scene. Nerezza cursed under her breath and turned, scowling to face the two of them just as Astrid and Sam pulled themselves to their feet.

"Caine! Go get Pete! I'll handle her!" Sam shouted. He wasnt sure if he was pleased or even more worried that Caine was here.

"Do you really want to do that?" Nerezza asked suddenly and Caine and Diana both froze.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Diana spat.

Nerezza ignored Diana and walked over to Caine. Sam shouted at them but Diana and Caine found themselves frozen to the spot under her sharp green gaze. Instead they both stared back, unsure of what to do. She was clearly a threatening character but the only real weapon they had was Caine's powers. In the end she got one step too close and Caine snapped back, holding his hands up in a threatening manner.

"Not another step!" Caine snapped.

"Okay, but is this really what you want?" Nerezza said, smirking proudly.

"What else would I want?" Caine snorted. "But to get rid of a bitch like you?"

"Power? To be on top? Not to be mocked the way you are?" Nerezza asked quietly and Harry saw the change in Caine's eyes. Suddenly he was listening. "Here, the teachers and the normal people run wild because they can get away with it, but the strong and powerful like yourself are treated like scum. In the FAYZ you were a King." She whispered. "You can be a king again, Caine. Just don't stop me. All you have to do is walk away..."

"CAINE!" Sam began to shout Nerezza turned and threw a rock that got his jaw. He felt blood fill his mouth and spat out a tooth, shouting in pain.

"On second thought..." Nerezza said, smirking. "In the old FAYZ you would have been a king but someone always stopped you. Someone always got in your way." She looked down at Sam. "You'll only ever be second to Sam Temple as long as he is alive. If you finish him off, you can go back to the FAYZ and you can be king."

Caine stared at her and did nothing when she walked passed him. He seemed to be really taking all her words in.

"Caine... You can't honestly be listening to her!" Sam shouted.

"You know, I really hate this place." Caine whispered. "The people are shit! The kids are snotty and we can't even fight back because we're always the bad guys. I have to go to a school where I am treated like a piece of shit all the time! At least in the FAYZ the freaks were on top! We were feared and no one dared challenge me or even anyone else no matter how annoying they were because we were freaks!" He clenched his hands into fists and growled. "I won't deal with that anymore! No! I'm going back to where I was a somebody, and if you try and stop it then I'll kill you."

Sam stared at him. He could see Caine's mind was made up. There was no changing it when he was like this, at least not until he had calmed down. He glanced at Diana but she had taken a step back and her eyes were wide, watching Caine like she had never seen him before. Maybe she was seeing the worst side of Caine. A side that would actually choose to enter a world like the FAYZ.

"Move, Caine." Sam growled as Caine wandered over to block his view of the cave where Pete was.

"Come at me," Caine sneered.

Sam hesitated. Then turned to Astrid. "Go and get Pete! I'll deal with Caine."

Astrid hesitated a moment but then nodded her head, ducking down and running passed as fast as her legs could take her. She had barely taken three steps when a force punched her in the chest, throwing her backwards and onto the ground, rolling away in the dirt and dust. She coughed and rolled onto her hands and knees, slowly getting back to her feet and turning just in time to be lifted up into the air, she used her hands to press against the ceiling and avoid getting her head smacked. The pressure made her feel like her arms were going to snap and her legs were left waving and kicking in the air.

"Put her down, Caine!" Sam shouted.

"I am not staying in this shit world any longer!" Caine roared and used both hands to push Astrid up against the ceiling, intending to flatten her.

Suddenly a burst of light flashed in front of Caine's eyes. It didn't touch him but it blinded him and he released Astrid from her hold, letting her drop down to the ground. It wasn't a far drop but she landed oddly and her right ankle twisted, causing her to collapse down to the ground in a heap, shouting in pain. She clutched her ankle and looked up in time to see Sam tackle Caine to the ground, trying to pin him down. He had spent too long living and looking after Caine now, he couldn't hurt him like he used to be able to.

Astrid stared down at her ankle, it was hurting but it wasn't blinding. Gritting her teeth she pushed herself back onto her feet and dragged herself through the cave, trying to move as quickly as possible. In the end she just gave in and ran, gasping with every step that sent sharp electric like shots up her leg and making her legs feel heavier than normal. Finally she rounded the corner, clear and away from where Caine and Sam could still be heard struggling. But she knew she couldn't slow down, not until she had gotten Pete safely back into her arms and away from Nerezza. How she was going to fight of Nerezza she had no idea but she had nearly beaten her once before, she could do it again if her brother needed her to.

Meanwhile Caine had managed to pin Sam against the cave walls, pressing him against the dirt wall and smirking at him like he had already won. But Sam got one of his hands free and shot a length of light that narrowly missed Caine's left ear. He stumbled to the side and let out an animal like growl. He raised both his hand and tried to throw Sam like he had before but he ducked to the side and threw a handful of dirt in Caine's face, momentarily blinding him.

Caine snarled and threw his body forward blindly, knocking Sam hard so they both collapsed down onto the ground in a heap. He grabbed the nearest thing he could, a large heavy hand sized rock, and brough it down on Sam's head, meaning to crush his skull before he could raise his hands and defend himself.


	28. Chapter 28

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: Story is almost finished! To everyone for the season I missed, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - Sorry for the incredibly slow updates. _**

_**Arrowkid21:** Lol, thank you. I will try and update as soon as I can!  
><strong>Rose Dawson-Johanna Mason:<strong> Thank you so much!  
><strong>jng1:<strong> Sorry about slow updates. I update when I can...  
><strong>Thabile Mofokeng:<strong> Hey, I hope this is fast enough! Once again, so sorry for slow updates!  
><strong>TheBlondeWeasley:<strong> Here's the update!_

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty Eight<span>

"What is the matter with you?!"

Caine shouted when Diana suddenly tackled him off of Sam and onto the ground. They rolled on the ground for a moment and landed with Diana kneeling beside of a confused and dazed Caine. He stared up at her and blinked as Sam hurried to his feet and backed away from the two of them. Best be as far away from Caine while he was acting like this. He watched as Diana suddenly slapped Caine across the face and shook her head, gasping like she couldn't breath and like her head was going to explode.

"What is the matter with you?!" Diana repeated with a scream.

"Get out of here," Caine snapped. "What are you doing? I had him! Move!"

"SHUT UP!"

There was a moment of silence apart from Diana's voice echoing through out the cave. She was breathing heavily and staring at him with tears filling her eyes like someone who had finally lost the plot. Her whole body was shaking and she repeatedly shook her head, covering her ears like she was trying to block out some horrible noise. She swallowed once more, taking a deep breath to calm herself before she glared at him. She looked like she was trying to resist the urge to slap him again but only barely. Caine seemed to be thinking the same thing and quickly pushed himself away from her, just out of reach.

"After everything we have been through... You would dare... DARE... To say you'd drag us all back because you're having ego promises?" Diana demanded. "Because you're having to deal with the real life for a change?"

Caine said nothing but his mouth opened and closed weakly like he had no way of replying. He frowned and then opened his mouth, ready to argue with her but she talked over him sharply.

"I mean, seriously?! The FAYZ was hell! The FAYZ was worse than anything else I have ever seen! And you want to go back! And not just that you want to go back but you want to go back for the stupidest of reasons! You want to go back into that hellhole because you don't like the way life works and you want to be treated like a king and in this world you can only get away with having an ego half your size!" Diana shrieked. "Well fine, be like that! But don't you dare drag me back in there with you!"

Caine growled and stood, grabbing her shoulders painfully tight. "You don't get it! It's not the same for me and you!"

"I don't care!" Diana shrieked. "If you help her bring back the FAYZ! I swear to God! I will kill myself!"

Caine stared at her. He didn't know what he was supposed to say to that. He had never seen Diana this angry. Not when he had let kids get killed or when he had tried to take over or even when he had shouted at her and thrown her across the room because she was insisting on calling a truce with Sam. She was glaring at him, tears getting away down her cheeks and she slapped his hands away when he tried to reach for her. She was heaving, her breath coming in short rasps and burning her throat as she tried to swallow and blink to clear her eyes.

"I mean it." Diana whispered. "I can't go back. I love you, Caine but I don't love you enough to go back. It's me or the FAYZ. Now it's time for you to tell me how much you love me."

Sam stared at them. He was so stuck by Diana shouting at Caine and Caine actually listening that he found he couldn't move and he was forgetting that Astrid was fight off Nerezza all on her own!

Astrid's ankle was blindingly painful but she didn't give it any rest. She managed to ease some of the pain but finding a large wooden stick she could use as a sort of crutch for half the way. She leaned against the wall and wished she had a light since the further she came the darker it was and she wasn't sure she could find her brother if she couldn't even see the walls from the floors. After a while her toes stubbed against stones and rocks that made her feet ache even through the thick leather of her shoes. The path was long, she was breathing in dust and dirt that made her choke and whimper when she swallowed too much of it so she had to stop often and heave on the floor until saliva and stomach acid made it's way up. No food. Not yet at least. She was also terrified. Astrid wished Sam was here with her so that he might be able to help but Caine had pretty much gone crazy and he needed to deal with his brother, again!

Her leg hit a bolder that reached up to her knees and Astrid was thrown forward onto her face, hitting her nose painfully hard and rolling onto her side with one leg propped up against the bolder still and both knees scraped bloody.

Whimpering again, Astrid pushed herself up onto her hands and knees, standing and slowly looking down at her bleeding knees. At least she thought they were bleeding. They felt hot and it felt like something was sliding down her leg but she couldn't actually see anything in the darkness. Tears filled her eyes for the hundrenth time but she pushed them back, pushed all her hair out of her face, and stumbled along in the darkness in search of her brother. She lost the stick she used for support but she couldn't go back and start searching on hands and knees in the dark. Time was already too short. She had to protect Little Petey. In the FAYZ she had to protect him and now, when he was in danger, she had to protect him even with their parents back.

Forcing herself back onto her feet she grabbed a hold of the wall and moved faster than before. She stumbled but surprisngly managed to stay on her feet for the rest of the walk.

She rounded a corner and was very nearly blinded by a sudden light that came out of nowhere. It was a fire but it wasn't a natural fire. It was a bright stunning yellow in the centre of the large room with Petey lying just a few feet away, fast asleep on the floor and mumbling like he was having a dream. Nerezza was doing something with the fire, kneeling down and with her back to Astrid as she limped quietly into the open area.

"Caine is pretty useless if he can't even get rid of you." Nerezza said. Astrid knew she was sneering. It angered her as Nerezza climbed to her feet and turned to smile at her with cold eyes. "Guess that means you're mine."

Astrid clenched her hands into fists and glanced at where Pete lay. She had to get him. She had to get him safe. She had to. And if that meant getting passed Nerezza... Well she fought her once before.

Nerezza pounced, grabbing a handful of her face and another handful of her hair, dragging her to the ground. Both girls let out a scream and shriek of anger as they fell down against the ground with a hard thudding sound and they scratched at one another. Their screams echoed down the cave and would surely bring attention but Astrid felt she had more power when she was shrieking as loud as possible while she tried to claw out the dark haired girls eyes with her chipped and broken nails. They struggled for a moment, Astrid trying to push her off and Nerezza trying to get her hands around the blonde haired girls throat.

Meanwhile Sam had finally heard the screams and remembered what had happened. He heard Astrid's screams loud and clear as Caine tried to tell Diana she was acting stupid and Diana tried to fell Caine he was a foul monster.

Turning, Sam ignored the two fighting and ran as fast as he could down the cave. They didn't give him a second glance and he couldn't worry about them while Astrid was clearly in need of his help.

It didn't take him nearly as long as Astrid to get to them since he had two working legs, but he was taken aback when he came across the two girls rolling around on the ground as they tore at one anothers hair and faces, kicking and scratching by the blinding fire. For a moment he wasn't sure what to do, but then he spotted Little Pete. He was just lying there and if they grabbed him then they were sure she wouldn't be able to open the FAYZ.

Sam dived for Pete but Nerezza must have saw him and threw Astrid him at him like a ball. They collapsed onto the ground in a heap and Nerezza stepped protectively in front of Pete.

"I won't let you win." Nerezza said evenly.

"We won't lose!" Sam snapped.

"Well I guess one of us is wrong then," Nerezza said, glaring. She suddenly looked furious! The complete opposite to her cocky smirk just seconds ago.

Sam swallowed and lifted his hands up. He watched as Nerezza stood there, still glaring but unmoving like she wasn't afraid of his powers. Astrid was kneeling beside of him, he could see her out of the corner of his eye, staring up at him with shock and wonder like she didn't know what he was going to do next.

Nerezza made a fake movement to the left and Sam fell for it. At the last moment she ran right. Sam stumbled as he tried to turn when her hand appeared, grabbing a handful of his hair and her other hand tightened her hold around his throat. She brought his head down as she lifted up her knee and knocked it hard against his nose, smashing and breaking it with ease and strength he hadn't known she had. A hot rush ran over his face and he felt the blood drip down into his mouth. He spat onto the floor and struggled but her grip was like iron, beyond anything he could struggle against.

Astrid shrieked loudly, startling Nerezza. She turned around, expecting to see Astrid runnng at her stupidly and blindly to knock her down long enough for Sam to get up and attack himself. But instead Astrid was just standing there, screaming blankly. She was still knelt on the ground, craddling her sore ankle with a look or pure hatred in her eyes. But then why was she screaming?

Just as that thought left her head she felt something sharp on her ankle and shouted in surprise. She looked down to find Sam has his teeth clenched around her ankle while one hand gripped her knee and the other had a hold of her side. Then it began to burn. Hot heat scorched her flesh, blistering her and leaving harsh red marks going up her legs along with each vein and artery in her body. Nerezza gasped and moved to kick him but then she felt the heat begin to stab her right through and shrieked again, this time with pain. Now she started lashing out but Sam had a tight hold of her, even digging his nails and teeth in so he tore the flesh where he had a hold of her.

"Let go of me you little-" Nerezza began, scratching her nails down his face.

Astrid stood, gasping in pain and hobbled over. She threw her body and knocked Nerezza off her feet, ripping her free of Sam's hold and drawing blood and blisters from her body. Nerezza gasped and dragged herself to her feet when she felt someone pulling her hair and using their fingers to stab at one of her eyes. She was blinded when the eye made contact and tried to roll to knock her off her body but instead Astrid just wrapped a tighter arm around Nerezza's neck.

Sam stood, gasping and spitting blood from his mouth. He held up his hands, aiming them at Nerezza but Astrid was getting in the way. He would have lunged for Pete now but he couldn't bring himself to turn his back on Astrid while she was in such danger. He growled and dashed forward, meaning to pull Astrid to safety.

When he leaned forward Nerezza's foot appeared and kicked him hard in the mouth, knocking him back. The cave was alive with a mixture of screams of pain, anger and shock as they struggled with one another.

Astrid was freely crying now from exhaustion and pain, but she didn't even feel the fear anymore. She forced herself to keep a hold and dragged her nails over every part of skin that she could reach. Nerezza grabbed Astrid by the arms, unlocked them from around her neck with amazing strength and threw her down on the ground, lifting her foot and slamming it on Astrid's ankle. The twisted ankle was turned at a horrible ankle and she belt the bone snap with the sudden pressure from Nerezza. Astrid shrieked and reached up as Nerezza leaned down to gloat, grabbing her hair and tearing as much of it out. Sam grabbed a nearby rock and brought it down hard on Nerezza's head as she struggled to free herself.

He must have hit the right place because she dropped, hitting the ground hard on her wide with her long dirty hair hiding her face, still.

Astrid sobbed and moved away from her limp body, dragging her wounded foot. Her whimpers pulled Sam back from staring at her body, diving to her side and wrapping his arms around her shoulders. They cuddled for a moment on the floor, gaining their breath back again. Sam was shaking horrible and rubbed his palms together sharply before he kissed Astrid's temple as she sat there, crying out of pure exhaution, but now she couldn't recognise the pain properly.

"Petey!" Astrid gasped.

Sam let her go and she crawled towards where her brother lay. He was lyng on the floor and everything seemed normal, like no one was trying to start up some world they had just escaped from.

"We did it..." Sam whispered, though it came out as more of a question.

"Yes. We did." Astrid smiled, turning to face Sam. Halfway in the turn her smile froze and she opened her mouth, looking ready to scream.

Sam had just enough time to blink his eyes before something hard hit him dead on the back of the head. Pain rocked through him but then it went numb and he collapsed onto the ground. It was all numb and he blinked weakly, staring at Astrid's feet as she scrambled to back away and then Nerezza's feet came into view as she took threatening steps towards of her. He couldn't move his body, or if he could he couldn't feel or control any of it. All he could do was lay there and watch as Nerezza moved in to finish off Astrid, then she'd probably make Sam watch as she brought back the FAYZ and maybe kill him afterwards.

It was then he saw the blood slowly lying beside his face, some of it burning his skin or getting into his hair. Whatever she had hit him with, it had been sharp enough to cut him somewhere on his skull. Maybe she would just leave him to bleed out and die. He would watch Nerezza kill off Astrid, probably kill Pete as she brought back the FAYZ and then Sam would die where he lay, uselessly and helpless.

"Good bye," Nerezza sneered, lifting up a second, larger and sharper rock with her eyes locked on Astrid.

And then she was off her feet and face first slammed into the wall. She was slammed hard, she actually dug into the wall slightly as it cracked and broke underneath her. She had to have broken most of her front bones and crushed the rest even as strong as she was.

Sam wanted to look but he couldn't. Astrid had been hiding her face and hugging Little Pete and finally lifted it to find, not just Caine and Diana, but so was Taylor, Brianna, Edilio and Quinn standing in the cave side by side. All of them were holding bats and metal polls and looking ready to go to war.

"If you think we are going to let you send us back into the FAYZ, you have another bloody thing coming!" Brianna shouted so loudly her voice echoed through the walls. She lifted her bat up in the air and ran forward at such speed that she disapeared. As if that was the signal, everyone followed her, screaming wordlessly.


	29. Chapter 29

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: This is the second to last chapter! I was thinking about doing a sequel - If I did it would focus more on their every day life/drama of their life but it would also have Drake as the main evil in it. What do you guys think?_**

_**Thabile Mofokeng:** Never fear I try not to leave stories unfinished. Once I wrote a story that I had one chapter left but it took me months to do it though I was determined to finish it. It's why I warn everyone that I am very slow at updates. I will try and update faster, promise! ;)_

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><p><span>Chapter Twenty Nine<span>

Nerezza pulled herself from the wall just in time for Brianna's blurred hands to swing the bat around and connected with her jaw, snapping her head backwards with a sickening cracking sound. Then Edilio brought around the metal pipe had had found in one of the more broken down buildings that looked like it belonged to some part under the seat and connected it with the back of he knee that was already torn, bleeding and burnt. She collapsed to the ground and let out an animal like hiss just as Taylor appeared with her own wooden cricket bat, slamming it down as hard as she could on Nerezza's stomach and chest, sobbing and screaming with every swing she made. The three of them didn't let up, beating every limb and body part that they could find. By the end they were all out of breath and still going. Finally Nerezza lay unmoving and Edilio was the first to step away from her. Taylor was the last, still crying before Astrid grabbed her and pulled her into a hug. The FAYZ affected a few people more than others, Brianna and Edilio were strong but Taylor wasn't and the idea that she might have to go back was too much. She collapsed in Astrid's arm and Brianna stood watching them.

Brianna turned her attention to Nerezza and kicked her foot, scowling down at her before she spat on her filthy stomach. She just turned with a smile on her face, lifting her bat up like a warrior announcing victory when she noticed Quinn. He had stripped off his top and was holding it to Sam's head, eyes wide, mouth open and unable to speak as he looked up, begging for help with his eyes.

"Oh God," Brianna gasped.

Edilio dropped his pipe and fell down beside of Quinn. "Sam? Sam can you speak? Are you okay?" he asked but Sam could barely move his lips and everything was growing quite dark as he struggled to remain conscious.

"We need Lana!" Taylor sobbed, she was white and had to sit down when he knees couldn't hold her. "We need to find Lana and get her to heal him!"

"No one knows where she is!" Brianna snapped.

"I do. I know!" Taylor was crying and stumbling over her words. "But I can't bounce with someone. I couldn't bring her here. I couldn't. I can't. I... Sam... Sam. He's going to... Going to... To..."

"Taylor! Snap out of it!" Brianna snapped, grabbing her and shaking her much faster than she meant to. Taylor turned and vomited on the dusty ground, clutching her head as it rocked back and forth from her dizziness. "Tell me where she is, I can run there and bring her back. I've dragged her around before and she had healed herself up fine. Tell me where she is and I'll go get her!"

"What?" Taylor blinked. "But. Sam. He's... Now... No time."

"For god's sake, Taylor! TELL ME!" Brianna shouted.

"She's in Pennsylvania. You won't make it. She's too far away." Taylor sobbed. "Oh god, Sam!"

"I'm off!" Brianna shouted, spun on the spot and ran out the cave. She was deaf to the shouts from the others that she wouldn't make it and pushed herself hard and fast, slowing only for a second to steal a chocolate bar from Zil's brother to keep her energy up and going as she moved down the road faster than most the cars around her.

The others stared after her in the cave, Quinn and Edilio still trying to stop the blood flow on Sam's head as he tried to stay away. Caine and Diana had moved to Nerezza to check she was still dead but they had stopped when they heard Sam was in trouble and now stood awkwardly in the middle of the cave, unsure of what else to do. Taylor still sat on the floor, sobbing as Astrid tried to quiet her own tears while holding Pete and rub the younger girl's back in an attempt to calm her.

"Taylor," Caine snapped. "Why don't you do something useful and instead of crying like the biggest baby here, bounce to town and get Nurse Temple to phone an ambulance for Sam? Huh?!"

Astrid was ready to jump to Caine's throat when Diana stepped forward. "You heard him! Get off your fat ass and use that power that could very well save his life if you're so sure Brianna won't make it!"

Taylor blinked and shook her head, she sobbed as she stumbled to her feet and shut her eyes for a moment before she disappeared. Quinn and Edilio were both panting now from fear that they were letting their friend slip from them. Astrid stumbled over to Sam and took his hand. "It'll be okay, Sam. Everything will be okay. They killed Nerezza and I have Petey so you just need to hold on until Taylor or Brianna gets back and then everything will be okay." At some point in the sentence she started crying but there were no tears left and her throat was starting to feel raw but she couldn't help herself.

Diana took Caine's hand and offered him a smile. She was glad that he had decided she was worth being here, especially after she had promised that he could leave Perdido Beach one day with her. She wasn't completely sure she did want to go and spend the rest of her life with him but at the moment there was nothing else that she would rather. It had been luck that they had both ran outside, screaming for help that they ran into Brianna who ran up as many people as she could and brought them all up here. They would have saved Sam if they had come in straight away but neither was willing to take on Nerezza without some back up. Caine wished they had found more people but everyone else was either busy or refused to come up and he didn't really want any help from normals anyway. Freaks or nothing.

"Oh God I don't know what to do!" Quinn shouted suddenly.

Caine looked over to where Sam was still bleeding and scowled. Maybe they should have thought about sending Brianna for Lana before they came here. They should have thought about if something like this happened and while he wasn't falling to his knees trying to stop the blood like Edilio and Quinn, Caine did feel a slight knot in his stomach as his brother lay there on the ground. He really hated Sam and Connie. But they had taken care of him while he was sick and they were his family so even if he didn't want to, he felt a blood pull towards them - or Sam at least.

Time ticked by slowly. Astrid calmed down enough to help with Sam who was still conscious and breathing but he seemed to be in a daze and no longer related to any of their words. Pete was still in a sleep state so she put her away from the fire on the ground for Quinn to watch over since he didn't seem to be doing anything helpful for Sam and was getting more worked up the longer he knelt by his side. After a while Astrid sent him to take Pete outside and home to make sure he was far away from Nerezza's hands. That left Caine and Diana to stand by the wall and watch in silence, unwilling or unable to help themselves but Diana was prepared to run and do anything that Astrid wanted like find water or help bring Lana or the ambulance in.

After a long while the blood was still seeping out but it had definitely slowed yet Sam still wasn't able to move on his own and still seemed ready to fall asleep if Astrid hadn't kept telling him to stay awake, commanding he blink and opened his eyes wide to show her he was listening.

"This is no good, does anyone know how much time has passed since Taylor and Brianna left?" Astrid asked no one in particular.

Everyone looked at once another and Diana just shrugged her shoulders, glancing at the mouth of the cave before looking back at her again. "Can we move him? Like get him out into the open?"

Astrid hesitated. "I think we can. He hasn't damaged anything else so maybe but I'm too afraid to risk it."

"Let's try it." Diana said, walking over to help.

"I can do it." Caine said, sounding bored. He held out a hand and Sam lifted into the air. He understood why Diana wanted out. It wouldn't make much a difference to Sam but she wanted to get out of the cave and she didn't want to seem like a coward ditching Sam.

"Wait his head!" Astrid cried. "We need to keep pressure on his head."

Edilio stood quickly and placed both hands on Sam's head where he was holding Quinn's top in place. "If you move him slowly I can keep up, we can get him outside and maybe find some river or lake nearby that we can use." He explained. Caine nodded and they all walked slowly from the cave, almost in slow motion.

Sam was aware of everything that was happening and felt relieved that they were all getting outside. The cave was dark, dusty and had too many shadows looming over him and making him feel claustrophobic. Outside there would be light, fresh air and he might be able to relax a little and focus more on staying awake than the thought that someone was sneaking up behind him to finish the job.

Of course the idea was easier said than done. It was just as dark going out as it was coming in. Diana ended up helping Astrid who couldn't use one of her legs because of the damage and it felt like she was carrying rather than supporting her. Edilio had to stay beside of Sam to keep the top on his wound and kept a hand against the wall beside of him but he stumbled and his own legs and arms were scraped from entering with the others. Caine had to shuffle one foot forward a few centimeters slowly to feel for any trip ups and then followed with his second foot. If Caine stumbled then he would most likely drop Sam and that was the last thing anyone wanted. Edilio tripped once more twice but never fell off his feet completely and always kept a hand on Sam's head even if it meant grabbing on to the rest of his body - luckily it stayed in the air thanks to Caine.

Diana came impatient at times which caused her and Astrid to fall a lot more times than the others but halfway through she seemed to have learnt her lesson and slowed down slightly, copying Caine by sliding her foot out infront of her rather than picking it up. Astrid noticed how agonising slow it was but she was too focussed on her the agonising pain on her legs to care. One of them was definitely broken, her hands felt hot and her knees had no doubt still bleeding slightly. At this point she didn't care who came back first but she wished Taylor or Brianna would hurry up.

After what felt like hours - all of which including Astrid calling out for Sam to stay awake and Edilio somehow finding the top of his head to feel his eyelashes flickering down to let them know he was - they saw a faint light that meant the outside world! In their haste they all moved faster and nearly everyone on of them tripped almost as soon as they did. Caine used his power to keep him and Sam up and listened, watching faint shapes moving in the dark as Edilio pushed himself back from the wall that he managed to grab onto and reached back for Sam again. Diana and Astrid had sprawled forward and Astrid had to bite on her lower lip to keep from crying out in pain. Diana jumped back to her feet, only slightly bruised, before reaching and dragging Astrid back up again.

Finally they broke out into the open air and each took a breath before turning and setting themselves down out of the way of the cave. Sam was laid back down and Edilio and Astrid immediately were at his side while Caine went over to Diana. As soon as she let go of Astrid Diana wandered over to a spot where she could just distantly see the direction that would lead back to Perdido Beach and Coates.

"You okay?" Caine asked.

"This will never be over, will it?" Diana asked. "Our powers are still here and Nerezza... It won't end."

"Sure it will." Caine said, taking her hand and giving her usual cocky grin. "We've killed off that bitch, Drake'll meet his end eventually and then you I can run off and do whatever you want to do, go where ever you want to go."

"Do you actually mean that?" Diana said, facing him and giving him a challenging stare..

"Yes." He said without hesitation.

Diana hesitated and nodded, like she was considering a maths problem. Then she leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth, holding onto his hand before she faced the sun set again. It was still mostly up but it would be night soon. Surely someone would arrive before then?

Astrid counted the time this time. Almost another hour passed before anything happened and while the blood wasn't as bad, Sam still didn't seem to be able to stay awake for much longer. Suddenly Astrid was terrified that he had internal bleeding... What would they do then? She remember Dahra telling her about Bette who stumbled in with only half her face and body working before she finally passed away and there was nothing she could have done to help her! But then she heard a gasp and looked up. It was dust, like someone was kicking at the dirt and sand and instantly they knew that Brianna had made it back.

"Thank God!" Astrid said, tears burning her vision as the girl raced her faster than they had seen her run before - which was saying since they normally couldn't see her when she ran fast.

Brianna took twenty-four minutes exactly to get from the horizon to them. Lana had grabbed a set of skates and had clung onto Brianna's shoulders. She had tripped once more twice but only actually fell over completely once so she quickly healed her broken, bleeding arm and then fell onto her hands and knees, ignoring the scratches and crawling towards Sam. The look on her face was more anger than anything. When she heard Nerezza was involved she refused to come and told the younger girl to just go get a doctor but Brianna had threatened to tell everyone where Lana was and never let her rest unless she came back with her. Astrid couldn't blame her for not wanting to come back but she couldn't blame Brianna either. After all, Sam needed help now and Taylor was still nowhere to be seen!

Lana looked much better apart from the anger on her face. Her tan was clean, her eyes full of life, she had a bit of chubby on her but the healthy kind and she was dressed in a pair of short denim trousers that just passed her knees and a white strapless top. She wore a helmet, knee caps and elbow caps but her skin was still looking sore from the ride and she even had on make up with finely cut styled hair that had a side parting with a side fringe. The only thing that showed any stress were the bags under her eyes that revealed the nightmares still hadn't stopped for her either.

"It's his head!" Edilio said quickly, "He's hurt his head, bad, I'm not sure how much longer he can stay awake."

Lana crawled over. She was shaking but it was hard to tell whether it was from anger or fear. Suddenly Astrid was very thankful they had brought him outside. She wasn't sure Lana would have come in to the cave no matter what threat or promise they gave.

She placed her hand on his head and scowled down at it. Astrid knelt beside her and hoped there wasn't anymore damage that Lana wouldn't be able to heal. If it was just a crack skull and cut then he would be fine but she didn't know if Lana could do anything if his brain was swollen or anything. She held it for a long moment and everyone watched, Astrid and Edilio holding their breaths as they stared down at him.

Then Sam blinked and sat up sharply, Lana's hand knocked away as he took in deep frightened breaths and looked around at the others. For a moment they all stared at him. Then Sam was laughing and Astrid had thrown her arms around his neck, kissing him hard on the lips in front of everyone. Lana rolled her eyes and stood, storming over to Brianna who was cheering and laughing at the same time. She didn't care where Brianna dropped her off but she wanted Brianna to get her as far away from the cave as possible. She had no right to drag her back here. Not when they were back in the real world and had other people to help.

"Where's Pete?" Sam asked when Astrid finally let him go.

Astrid looked up as Brianna dodged passed Lana to stop in front of Sam with a grin. "Relax. The babe's with Quinn. I passed him on the way here, heading back in to town, running and calling for help the whole way. He'll probably be back here with the ambulance." She laughed.

"Brianna!" Lana snapped.

"Yeah okay, I'm coming." Brianna called. "I better go drop Lana back off again. I promise to be back soon so don't damage anymore serious body parts while I'm gone."

"Meet us at my house. We want to be away from this cave as soon as possible." Sam was halfway through that sentence when he heard a scream.

Sam spun on the spot, everyone looking over their shoulders where Diana and Caine had been standing just in front of the mouth of the cave. Diana had fallen back and was half lying on the ground staring up at Caine. And there was Nerezza, standing behind Caine, looking bloody but very much okay with an arm around his throat, pinning Caine with unnatural strength against her body, just about cutting off his air supply and holding one hand firmly against the side of his head.

"I really am getting sick of you." She snarled, looking at all of them, one at a time.


	30. Chapter 30

**_Picking Up The Pieces_**

**_Other: Wow... This is my last chapter of this story... I can't believe I am actually at the end... Wow... And it's gonna be a long one too! Well I might be doing a sequel if you want since when Light comes out I will be really into it again :) So let me know if you think I should leave it or continue._**

_**Thabile Mofokeng:** Yay, glad to hear someone will read it. I think I'll take a moment after this one to plan it out but I think I might do it then. :D Thank you so much for reading my story! So glad you liked it! And thanks for sticking with it through the slooooooooooow updates.  
><strong>Arrowkid21:<strong> Thanks for keeping with the story for so long! I wouldn't have blamed you or anyone to have given up since I am so slow at updating -/- so I appreciate it :)  
><strong> Dr. Halfheart:<strong> Wow thank you! that is once of the nicest reviews I've ever gotten! Thank you so much! :D  
><strong>Cainefanatic:<strong> It's kinda late to add anymore of the later books now. Sorry. _

* * *

><p><span>Chapter Thirty<span>

Caine struggled but Nerezza's hold was like iron, firmly in place and impossible to break. He struggled and kicked out but he might as well have kicked a building to move it with all the damage he did to her. He could just about breathe but only if he didn't try to breath deeply, if he just took it in slow and easy then he might not pass out but at the moment he was anything but slow and easy. Diana was still at the ground, half lying down and unable to move as she stared up at the two of them. The rest were all watching as well. Brianna, Edilio, Astrid and Sam all sat there unable to believe that after everything Nerezza was _still _alive. They had beaten her with everything they had and while, yes, she was extremely battered, it seemed like she was stronger than ever! Lana had stilled too, her eyes full of mostly fear as she recognised the girl immediately as some twisted part of the darkness in human shape to walk among everyone. There was a long frozen moment where no one moved like they had been frozen in place apart from the struggling Caine. And then all at once, Sam, Astrid, Edilio and Brianna were on their feet, shouting and waving weapons and hands in the air as a warning.

"For God's sake! What do I have to do?! Cut off your head and limbs, stuff you with garlic, burn you to ash and throw the ashes in different rivers and lakes all across the world?!" Brianna shrieked, raising the bat she had somehow kept a hold of for the whole run. "Why don't you just die already?!"

"How on Earth are you still alive? Don't you give up? You could have walked away at any time alive and well and ruined some other kids lives. Do you have some sort of sick fetish over all of us? Go back in the cave and rot with the rest of the darkness!" Edilio shouted.

"Petey's gone! So you can't open the FAYZ again! We won't let you anywhere near him so what is the point of this? Let go of Caine and just... Just die! Or leave! I don't even care anymore because you won't win, you haven't won and you will never win!" Astrid screamed, shaking her head and throwing her fists into the air.

"If you don't let Caine go, right now, I swear I will burn you. Every part of your body will be covered with red bleeding blisters and your legs won't even function. Let him go! If you hurt him that will be the end of you!" Sam roared, lifting his hands up to emphasis the threat.

Nerezza snickered, gurgling slightly on the blood at the back of her throat and making Caine's stomach churn as he tried to break free and get even a few meters away from her. It was definitely not his imagination. Nerezza was definitely taller since now his feet didn't touch the ground and she was obviously stronger. He struggled and had to pause for a moment because he couldn't breath. As soon as he got his breath back - holding limp in her arms for a moment - he began to struggle again. He thought of using his power to throw her back off him but with her grip she'd probably drag him back with her!

"All of you shut it!" Nerezza shrieked after turning and spitting the blood from her mouth.

None of them listened until Nerezza lifted Caine's feet off the ground and slammed them down hard with a sickening crack somewhere along his feet and legs, causing him to scream in pain. Then there was shocked silence.

"That's better." Nerezza snarled. "Now then. Where is the boy?"

"Gone and there is no way in hell you're getting anywhere near him!" Astrid shrieked and realized she hadn't stopped crying. Angrily she wiped the tears away and glared at her trying to be strong.

"I want him here in ten seconds!" Nerezza shrieked.

"No." Brianna growled.

Sam winced when he glanced at Caine but then he looked at Nerezza and shook his head. He'd get Caine away from her but he couldn't doom all the other kids to go back to the FAYZ again and even if he wanted to he doubted very much Astrid or the others would even let him try!

Nerezza let out an animal growl that echoed around them in the open space of outside. Lana took a step back and Edilio was suddenly at her side, half in front of her protectively. Astrid tried to stand but her leg forced her back to the ground and Sam took a step forward, his hands still held up facing her and Caine. By now Diana finally got to her own feet but she stood there helplessly as Caine was shaken around like a rag doll. She didn't have any powers to help him...

"You think you've won?" She seemed to be talking to Sam. "All you've done is stall me like all the other times. There are other ways to making the FAYZ and even then there are other ways to kill all of you! Just you wait. I won't lose this game, Sam. I am the darkness and where there is light there will always be dark! Hungry in the dark!" She cried. Then she used her free hand to wipe some of the blood from her face, she stretched her free limbs and ran some fingers through her hair, unknotting it and swiping away some more of the blood, throwing the droplets down onto the ground. She then leaned over and spat some left over blood from her mouth onto the dirt at her feet. "And before my day comes, because it will come, I think I'll leave you with a little something to keep you busy in the meantime." She spoke calmly suddenly and smirked at Sam. "You think he was a handful before, just wait until I'm done with him now."

She placed her hand on Caine's head and smiled as Sam stepped forward. "What are you doing?!" He snapped.

Before she answered Caine let out a scream louder than Nerezza's growl. He screamed and caused Sam to take a step back in shock. It was full of pain. Nothing but pain. Nerezza smirked as Caine screamed louder and kicked his feet, clawing at her arm until he was drawing blood but she didn't let him go even then. His head was thrown back and collided with her own and she winced, shutting on eye, but still didn't release him. His whole body was shaking and tears began to stream down his cheeks.

"Leave him alone!" Diana shrieked.

She jumped and tackled the two of them to the ground. Or she tried to but Nerezza really was like steel and at the most she managed to knock her hand away and stall her for a moment. Then Brianna was on her, slapping her several times before she realized what was happening. Sam and Edilio ran forward while Astrid sat feeling helpless but unable to join in with her injured leg.

Brianna continued to slap and kick at Nerezza while Sam and Edilio grabbed her arm and tried to prise her off Caine. Diana ran around and grabbed her thick hair, tugging it hard with handfuls knotting around her fingers. Nerezza lashed out at Brianna but she ducked and avoided it easily. Finally, with another glare at them all she let go of Caine sharply causing them all to tumble backwards and she used her two free hands to back hand both Brianna and Diana when they were distracted away from her, stepping back into the cave and smirking before she turned and ran further inside.

Sam went to follow her but a screaming from behind stopped him. Caine was on the ground on his hands and knees, hands firmly over the side of his head like he was trying to block his ears and he was screaming loudly, still a scream full of pain and agony. Diana fell down to the ground behind him and tried to touch him but when she did he just threw his body down and shrieked louder like touching was painful. Everyone had stopped to stare at him and Sam ran over. He fell down beside of Diana and reached for Caine only for him to jerk away and sway on the spot, still clutching his head and screaming. Caine felt like his skull was on fire and a set of horrible monstrous images covered every inch of his mind, the darkness' laughter filling his skull as he burned and shivered at the same time. He leaned forward, still holding his head and vomited everything he ate onto the dusty ground in front of him.

"Do something!" Diana snapped, looking at Sam like it was his fault.

This didn't improve Sam's mood. "Like what?" Sam demanded.

She glared at him and he held her glare when Caine threw himself back until he was lying down, scratching at the skin covering his skull and slamming his feet down. He didn't seem to notice anything around him, not even the pain he must get from slamming his broken foot down, just the pain in his mind.

"LANA!" Sam called.

Lana looked at him, then down and Caine but shook her head, taking a step away from him. She feared the darkness too much to be near Caine now, let alone to try and touch and heal him.

Sam cursed and turned to Caine. He crawled beside him and wrapped his arms around him, ignoring the way he tried to pull away. If anything the more he fought the tighter Sam held him. He hugged his brother and shut his eyes as his screams defened him. Sam hugged his brother close, he didn't know what else he could do but hold him and try to take some of his pain away through touch. Diana knelt beside him and touched his head, she winced when he tried to pull away but copied Sam and didn't let him escape. She started stroking some of his hair in a way that always calmed her down as a child. She wasn't sure if she was helping or making things worse.

"Talk to him!"

Sam looked up. It was Astrid. She was slouched on the floor, her broken leg stretched to the side, leaning to the sides on her hands and staring at him with more confidence and determination than anyone else there.

"You have to talk to him!" She cried. "Make him hear you, Sam!"

Sam hesitated. What was he supposed to say? But then Diana had moved around and was leaning down, still stroking Caine's hair and whispering into his ear. Sam couldn't hear anything she said over Caine's screams and he wasn't sure if Caine himself would be able to hear her. But that didn't seem to matter to her. Maybe she was just talking to help her own nerves rather than Caine's. After a moment she leaned back and looked at Sam. "I don't know what else to say." There were tears building slowly and he could see her chest beginning to move fast as she began to hyperventilating.

"That's okay uh..." Sam stumbled and looked down at Caine, still in his arms. "Um... Tell him... Tell him what you want when you grow up. When you're an adult tell him what you want."

Diana hesitated and looked down at him. Then whispered something he couldn't hear. For some reason he didn't think she was talking to Caine.

"What?" Sam asked, shouting over Caine's screams.

Diana shut her eyes tightly then screamed even louder than Caine, "I want him!" She looked at Caine, a few tears flying free to the ground. "I want you, Caine! I want to grow up with you! To spend my days with you! You're a sick psycho at times, you have these insane ideas of ruling and being a king but god damn, I want you when I grow up! So don't you dare run away from me like this! Snap out of it! Snap out of it, Caine!"

Caine continued to scream, tears still running down his cheeks but his hands suddenly gripped Sam's arm and he found his body curling into the warm, sobbing.

Encouraged by Diana, Sam shouted down at him. "Come on, Caine! You are the strongest person I know! Only you could live life half a bad ass half whatever else you are. You have been through hell and back, this should be easy for you! So just fight. Hear us and come here. Come... Come and break free of the hold the darkness has over you. Because you can break free, this fish hook is hard to get out but not impossible! Unhook yourself and be the free, confident sometimes arrogant guy you were before!"

Caine whimpered, still holding his head and curled up into Sam's chest. It took Sam a moment to realize that he had stopped screaming and clutching his head.

"It's okay, Caine. I promise you it's okay." Sam whispered.

Diana sat there, continuing to comb her fingers through his hair repeatedly. She leaned forward and kissed his cheek, whispering something that Sam couldn't make out but he could guess.

Finally, after a long moment of whimpering and shaking he froze. Sam swallowed hard and tried to turn Caine to see his face but he was resisting. He was fighting Sam. But he was also fighting whatever Nerezza had done to him. Sam gripped him tighter and watched the motion of Diana's hands carefully as his brother's body began to shake with tension as he fought whatever was attacking him.

Lana had slowly began to back away from the cave and from Caine like he was infectious. But no one could blame her after everything she had been through with the darkness. If anything they were impressed with her for sticking around for as long as she did. But she still was inching away from it all like she might start running at any second. Brianna was looking over at Edilio and Astrid like she wanted advice on whether it was okay to get Lana out of here. She cared nothing for Caine - even after all this time her anger towards him for the cement blocks was too great to let pass, not to mention everyone who died because of him - but Sam was SAM! She needed to stay by his side if he needed her but she couldn't all out ask him now if she could leave. How bitchy would that sound! Astrid had pulled herself into standing position, leaning on Edilio, tears running down her cheeks with wide eyes. Probably from a result of the screams Caine let out. Edilio just looked determined, like he was silently egging Caine on.

"Caine?" Diana asked.

"I wanna go home..." Caine croaked and he felt him crying against his chest. Sam looked at Diana and saw in her eyes. Neither could tell if Caine had switched or if he was just so broken he couldn't help himself anymore. At least he wasn't screaming anymore.

"We will," Sam promised.

Caine began to moan and shake, like he was in pain again but it wasn't as much as before since he was no longer screaming. Diana leaned down and whispered, stroking his hair again. Sam hesitated before he looked back up at the others. They were all staring at him and waiting for him to tell them what to do next. But he couldn't tell them because he couldn't think straight. All he wanted to do was charge into the cave after Nerezza, to kill her once and for all for what she had done to all of them but especially to what she had done to Caine.

"Sam."

He could do it. He could run in, burn her before she had a chance to do anything else. He had tried to burn her a dozen ways before but each time she had somehow managed to avoid his blast or even when he hit her it didn't seem to affect well. Sam had to finish her now before she caused anyone else any more problems. Now she was basically trying to make Caine completely insane, next what? Would she try and make Brianna paralyzed waist down? Blind Taylor? Mute Quinn? Deafen Edilio? Make Lana so terrified of the dark she can't even look at her own shadow without collapsing into tears?

"Sam."

Sam gently eased Caine so he was leaning on Diana, he unhooked his brothers fingers where they clung onto his jacket, giving them to Diana instead, and stood up, ready to run into the cave and burn the whole thing to the ground.

"Sam."

A hand touched his shoulder and he jumped, spinning around. Astrid stood there, her leg seemed to be healed - most likely by Lana but he couldn't remember her doing it - and she was holding onto his wrist. Her eyes were watering but she kept blinking to keep any tears from falling and she looked so desperate that Sam couldn't bring himself to look away. At least not until he had heard what she wanted to say.

"Sam, don't forget you're not alone." Astrid said, suddenly. "Remember you have your friends to back you up. So what are we going to do?"

Sam hesitated then blinked and seemed to almost shake the last thoughts from his mind. He turned and smiled to her, then back at everyone else and nodded his head to show he was ready. The only two who weren't listening where Caine and Diana.

"Right. We're ending this, once and for all." Sam said.

"How? Every time we try she just comes back for more." Brianna growled, glaring at the ground as her hands clenched into fists.

"We crush her. We bring the whole cave in, crush her and block the exit so she can never leave again." Sam explained, the plan coming to mind as he spoke. "She might get out one day but it won't be for a long time and when she does we'll beat her again, and again, and again." He grinned at them. "We'll beat that bitch every time but for now let's stall her so we can have some moments of peace."

Brianna and Edilio both laughed and clapped their hands, cheering him on. Lana was scowling from a way back but she had stopped retreating now. Soon they all gathered around the mouth of the cave and Sam nodded at Brianna. She vanished, running into the cave and hitting the walls hard with the bat, slowly but surely crumbling the sides of the wall, not destroying it but definitely making it weaker. She did this for a good ten minutes before leaving the cave. When she was safely outside, Sam lifted a hand and hit the dark walls of the cave with his light, melting and cutting through the rock. He stopped and grabbed Brianna's arm just before she ran inside again.

"Don't go too far in. If it collapses with you inside we will do everything we can to get you out so this whole thing will be for nothing. Okay?" Sam demanded, holding tightly so she didn't fight and go ahead anyway.

"Relax, I won't!" Brianna grinned. She waited for him to let go and ran in.

She still went dangerously far in considering the walls were hitting the ground now, but she was still quick enough to batter on the walls and run out once more. She hit the walls, breaking it apart. Then she headed for the exit. She saw Sam and grinned, ready to give him the thumbs up to shoot another light in when a rock, larger than the rest, fell from the ceiling and knocked her hard on the head. Brianna was thrown forward and hit the ground. She sat up, dizzy and confused. Brianna blinked just in time for her eyes to make out Sam going to run in only to be pushed aside.

Dekka had been watching, slowly making her way over even though she wasn't sure what she could do to help. But she did see Brianna go in and immediately picked up her pace. When she saw the ceiling fall she knew what was going to happen and dashed in to save her.

The cave was collapsing lightly now, Dekka grabbed Brianna, pulling her up onto her back and running out the cave before anything could trap them inside. Edilio immediately took Brianna, carrying her to Lana to make sure she didn't have any brain damage or bleeding internally while Sam grabbed Dekka's arm before she could follow. He didn't ask her any questions, just pointed to the cave.

"Quick! We need you to knock that cave down! Block it off! For everyone!" Sam shouted.

Dekka didn't even hesitate. She trusted Sam more than anyone else. Turning, she held her hands out to the cave and began to lift the gravity. She threw heavy rocks into the ceiling causing more parts to fall down, meanwhile Sam was directing his own power to every one of the walls and the back and the ceiling. Together it took them less than fifteen minutes to bring the whole of the cave down into one large pile. Sam ran around to check it was covered. It was. Then he ran back towards the others where they were all standing and watching in awe at the masterful work. They had blocked the cave. They had trapped Nerezza inside. For now, they had won!

* * *

><p>Connie Temple had come back with Taylor and a small ambulance that held two doctors almost ten second after Sam had hugged and kissed Astrid on the lips to celebrate their success. It was such a surprise that no one moved until Connie ran out and hugged Sam.<p>

"I'm so sorry!" Taylor sobbed, appearing in front of Sam and causing him to take a shocked step back away from her. "I tried I did but no one would listen to me! Even those who normally did turned their backs on me and Zil started encouraging everyone and they all said they didn't care and-"

Sam hugged Taylor. "It's okay, it doesn't matter now. We're all okay and we all won!"

Astrid smiled politely but quickly grabbed Sam's arm when he released her. Connie had left them to kneel beside Caine. He was sitting up and shivering now but his face was hard like it normally was. The only sign that something had happened was the way he winced at nothing and when he shivered like someone was running a feather down his spine. He didn't react when Connie hugged him or asked him if he was okay. He let Diana do the talking and stared at the mouth of the cave, wincing at the winds touch.

The only two doctors willing to come and help ran straight to Astrid who was still covered in scraps, bruises and stood leaning on one leg despite it being healed by Lana. Soon everyone was settled on the ground, wrapped in thick blankets. They weren't really needed since Lana seemed to relax long enough to heal them all back so they were good as new (even Caine though she did him last) but it was nice to have ice and help from them. Connie made sure both Sam and Caine were by her side, clutching their hands and asking repeated questions over what happened. When she learnt the truth she openly hugged Sam, crying and apologizing for not believing him about Nerezza. He forgave her in seconds but Caine watched from the corner of his eye, still angry that she had let that girl get so close to him.

Lana went home first. One of the doctors offered to get her back home quietly without anyone seeing her. By the time the rest of them got into a car with Connie and the second doctor, it was dark.

But they were heading home. Together. Nothing else mattered.

* * *

><p>"It's hungry..." Caine whimpered.<p>

Sam yawned and sat up from his bed. He stumbled out and climbed into his brothers bed, wrapping his arms around him and trying not to drift off. Soon Caine would be shouting and Connie would come in as well but for now it was just the two of them.

It had been almost five months since they had trapped Nerezza in the cave. Caine wasn't exactly worse but he definitely wasn't any better. He still had nightmares and still switched, but lately he also got lost in thoughts and had a frightening look on his face like he was seeing something horrific no one else could see. When asked he just denied that he knew what they were talking about and went back to the old cocky Caine.

Things seemed to have settled though, of course, it would never be normal again. Zil and his family still went around terrorizing anyone related to the moofs, and many people who did not join at least turned a blind eye to his rampage. It was clear just how many people didn't want them around when they heard most of them ignored Taylor's pleas for help. It was easily brushed off compared to the family that did care about them but it still hurt every now and then when they caught the nasty looks off strangers in the streets. As it was, Brianna's step father and his children treated her like dirt with only her mother occasionally standing by her side to the point where she spent five times out of every week sleeping around Astrid's or Mary's or anyone else that would have her.

Dekka had to leave but she actually found a home with Lana. Her and her family promised to keep her away from her own parents and so occasionally Taylor could pass messages from her at least. No word on Penny or Bug, even Howard and Orc disappeared at once stage. Diana went back to Coates, unhappily but it was better than the lab where a few kids were still forced into every now and then when it grew too much for their parents to handle.

All an all they seemed to be settling back into a routine, though Caine was kept off school for a bit longer and tutored at home. He would need to go back eventually but with that teacher and those students there was no rush about it. The only person who was not accounted for was Drake...

"He's out there you know," Diana whispered, one day during a day out when the sunw as shining.

"What?" Sam blinked from where he had been about to dip his feet into the ice cold lake.

"Drake." Caine whispered and suddenly was staring ahead into the water with wide frightened eyes until Diana took his hand and he looked back at her.

"He's out there and if I know the psycho well enough, which I am sad to admit, I do, then I know he will be back." Diana stood and pulled Caine with her. The two wandered away from the rest of the to be alone.

"Are we that bad company?" Brianna said with a giggle, lying on her back in the water, letting her hair float around her head and kicking her feet gently to stay close to the edge where she could grab her towel for a quick dry off.

"For them? Probably." Quinn snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Whatever." Sam mumbled but he knew they were right. Drake. Whip hand. Sadist. Psycho. The Darkness' pet. Whatever you called him, he was out there. Probably watching them right then. But he wasn't going to attack yet, that they were sure of. Sam gave Astrid a wink, puffing out his chest slightly where she sat on the blanket on the side before he ran and jumped into the water, coming up and grinning when he saw her smiling his way.

**END!**


	31. AN Possible Story - Light Spoilers

**NOTICE**

**Some people want me to do a sequel but I just finished Light and I was thinking of doing another story...**

**DO NOT SCROLL DOWN IF YOU HAVE NOT FINISHED LIGHT! IF YOU DO SCROLL DOWN AND READ WHAT I HAVE TO SAY NEXT THEN I AM SORRY BUT IT IS YOUR OWN FAULT AND I CANNOT BE HELD RESPONSIBLE.**

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**Okay if you have continued to read then I am assuming that you have read light and that you are prepared to read my next story. I want a little vote on whether or not you think this is a good idea and whether or not you would read it.**

**The idea is that Caine (and possibly the human Gaia) comes back to life but no one knows how. Only he doesn't come back hole and has moments where he either acts like a zombie or acts like Little Pete or Gaia. This will be a real drama where Sam has to help his brother while no one understands what is going on. It will have people who hate them, old friends joining together and troublesome Oc's (if you have an OC you would like to create for a villian like role then please PM me). You could also PM me with plot lines or mini story arcs of what you think should happen in the story.**

**Okay. So. I am asking. Who would read this?**


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